Photo courtesy of Josephine Ankrah, MPH Research Coordinator, DataHaven

Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice: With the help of a grant from the Greater New Haven Green Fund, the Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice conducted an educational outreach program designed to teach low income and neighborhoods of color the risks and symptoms of asthma.
​
In 2012, the CCEJ trained 12 volunteers to educate New Haven’s low-income people of color on asthma. Volunteers made 62 presentations and one tabling at churches, Masonic lodges and other community venues. Speakers targeted their outreach to caregivers likely to have children with asthma since many did not know the signs and symptoms for the condition. 

​
Based on the data tracked during the project, at the end of the outreach program, the 12 volunteers and speakers had presented to over 1,400 members of the community on asthma triggers and how to be aware of what can cause an asthma flare up. 

---

New Haven Farms: In 2016, New Haven Farms was awarded $8,000 to help support their farm manager salary. Jacqueline Maisonpierre, the farm manager in 2016, used the grant to produce 13,500 lbs of food on one acre, build the Ferry Street Farm, launch an incubator garden program with 20 other families and support 50 families with NHF’s farm based wellness program. The wellness program combined education about sustainable agriculture and shares of fruits and vegetables for 18 weeks. 

In 2019, New Haven Farms, partnered with the New Haven Land Trust, received a $10,000 grant to support the participation of 100 families in their farm based wellness program cohort. 

The families attended weekly two hour classes consisting of a 30 minute gardening workshop, followed by a short guided meditation, a cooking demonstration and nutrition class.
​
The grants from the Greater New Haven Green Fund ensured that New Haven Farms could continue to produce local, sustainable food for its residents in need.

​Photos courtesy of New Haven Farms  

EPA Conference: In 2018, Aubrey Roscoe and Krystal Medley, Southern Connecticut State University Master of Public Health: Environmental Health first year graduate students, applied for a micro-grant from the Greater New Haven Green Fund to support their workshop “The EPA and You: Protecting Human Health and the Environment.” Medley and Roscoe were awarded $800 dollars. 

The grant money was used for both catering food for the event and administrative costs. 

During the workshop, Dr. Rhona Julien and Stacey Johnson from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were invited to provide the community with an overview of the agency as well as potential internship and job opportunities. The workshop was successful and about 30 people attended.

Photos courtesy of Aubrey Roscoe and Krystal Medley