Green City Force Wins National Award for NYCHA Urban Farms Projects

“A model for success that can be replicated across the country”

“A model for success that can be replicated across the country”

Green City Force (GCF) transforms underused areas at NYCHA developments into lush green spaces full of fruit and vegetables, bringing beauty, enhancing the environment, and improving residents’ health. 

Last year, GCF Urban Farm Corps Members built and maintained three new farms at NYCHA at Bay View, Howard, and Wagner Houses while also helping to maintain the farm at Red Hook Houses. For their urban farming efforts, GCF was named 2017 Project of the Year by The Corps Network at its annual conference in Washington, DC, in February. 

The Corps Network supports over 130 service and conservation corps programs offering job training and academic programs to young people across the nation. GCF works with NYCHA residents ages 18 to 24 on full-time service projects and provides them with education on sustainability and green technologies, a stipend, free transportation, assistance with job and college placement, and more.

New York Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, who presented the award, said, “As our nation—and our planet—work to counteract and slow climate change, we need more young people pursuing jobs in renewable energy and environmental sustainability. I believe Green City Force provides a model for success—that can and should be replicated around the country.”

Urban Farms at NYCHA is part of Building Healthy Communities, a program to improve health outcomes in 12 neighborhoods in New York City.