project leader
Brigitte V
location
307 Blake Ave
(Brownsville, Brooklyn)
latest update rss
Recycling Fever is Catching On!

the project

The Inner City Green Team’s (ICGT) mission is to protect the environment and help transform the lives of residents living in NYCHA developments through education, job training and paid work that can lead to a lifetime of employment and civic engagement. Our primary objective is to create a sustainable, scalable, and replicable recycling infrastructure at NYCHA with job creation and community revitalization at its core. ICGT is a growing non-profit organization
(501 (c) (3) status pending) founded by and staffed by NYCHA residents.

July 12, 2018, Start of recycling collection: https://twitter.com/GreenCityForce/status/1018940488706031616

Door-to-door recycling collection at @NYCHA Brownsville Houses kicked off last week as part of the @NYC_CTO #NYCx Co-Lab: Zero Waste in Shared Space Challenge. Cohort 17 served in high spirits echoing their chant through the community. #NYCHArecycles

Special thanks to:

The City of New York for awarding our project $20,000 through the NYCx Co-Lab Challenge http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycx/zerowaste/zerowastechallenge.html

Extra special thanks to:

  • Green City Force (GCF)
  • ​GrowNYC (GNYC)
  • New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
  • NYC Dept. of Sanitation (DSNY)
  • Mayor's Office of the Chief Technology Officer (MOCTO)
  • ​NYC Economic Development Corp. (NYCEDC)
  • ​Mother's on the Move (MOM)
  • Fund for Public Housing 

NYCHA Recognition Ceremony 4/18

https://www.pscp.tv/w/1rmGPmNvznyJN

 

    

the steps

 

  • Build a website 
  • Develop a recycling model to full scale
  • Establish 501 (c) (3) business model
  • Consult with tech companies 
  • Create marketing & promotion campaign 
  • Invest in digital technology 
  • ​Develop an incentive-based reward system 
  • ​Build a job training platform  
  • Train and hire resident-run collection team

why we're doing it

While watching my mother's passionate engagement in caring for her community, her actions made me wish that I would someday adopt her desire to serve. As a teen, I was reluctant in helping her with her work, but I deeply wished I could become engulfed in a cause that I could be passionate about. When looking back at how all of this initiative got started,  I would have to thank a teen sitting on a NYCHA's recycling bins one summer in 2006, who briefed me that I was "wasting my time" continuously placing my recyclables in the bins provided, because, "it only gets thrown in the garbage." Upon further investigating his unbelievable claim, I was disappointed to learn what he revealed to me were facts! In my head, dozens of questions swirled which required answers from the powers that be. The activism bug bit me!! 

This problem had to be addressed due to the negative impact on society, the city, and our planet. 

Socially:

  • Super convenient recycling service 
  • Green Jobs for NYCHA Residents  
  • Addresses Local Law 49 (LL49)

Economically:

  • No Cost to NYC Taxpayers 
  • Financial savings for New York City 

Environmentally:

  • Greener and Cleaner Community
  • Zero Waste to Landfill by 2030 (0x30)  - Across our city, NYCHA developments are generating an estimated 300 tons of recyclable metal, glass, plastic, paper, cardboard, and food waste, that can be diverted from landfills every day. Improving recycling capture rates (with limited contamination) in public housing is a major lever in the quest to reach the City’s goal of zero waste. 

budget

Disbursed budget 3:

Supplies......................................... *$85.00

- Advertisement/Promotion................................ *$200.00 

- Education & Outreach events(s)...................... *$200.00*

 


TOTAL RAISED = $500.00
ioby Platform Fee waived
ioby Donation Processing Fee (3%) $15.00
TOTAL TO DISBURSE= $485.00
 
Updated budget:


PROJECT FUNDING NEEDED = $50,000
ioby Platform Fee $35
ioby Donation Processing Fee (3%) $1,547
TOTAL TO RAISE = $51,582
 
Disbursement 2 Budget (5.15.19):
- Labor … $3250.00
- Equipment … $300.00
- Uniforms & Supplies … $500.00
- Plastic bags … $280.00
   
TOTAL RAISED = $4,485.00
less ioby Platform Fee $35.00
less ioby Donation Processing Fee (3%) $129.61
TOTAL TO DISBURSE = $4,320.39
 
 
Updated Budget (5.16.18)
Labor: $29,127
Expense: $30,000
Subtotal = $59,127
less $20,000 award from the NYCx Co-lab challenge
less $10,000 already raised on ioby
New Subtotal = $29,127
ioby Platform Fee (already paid)
ioby Donation Processing Fee (3%) $873
Total to raise = $30,000
 
First Disbursement (5.11.18)
Raised = $10,335.00
less ioby Platform Fee $35.00
less ioby Donation Processing Fee (3%) $300.00
Total to Disburse = $10,000.00
 
Original Budget
 
*Proposed Budget for Deployment and On-going Operations (1 year)*
 
- Labor…………………………………............ *$14,980.00*
 
- Equipment ..................................................... *$4260.00*
 
- Uniforms & Supplies......................................... *$660.00*
 
- Recycling collection bags……………............. *$3,600.00 *
 
- Plastic bags…………………………………….. *$1000.00 *
 
- Advertisement/Promotion................................ *$1500.00 *
 
- Education & Outreach events(s)...................... *$3000.00*
 
- Insurance ........................................................
*$1000.00*
 
Subtotal = $30,000
less $20,000 award from the NYCx Co-lab challenge
New subtotal =$10,000
ioby Platform Fee $35
ioby Donation Processing Fee (3%) $300
Total to raise = $10,335
 

updates

Recycling Fever is Catching On!

Congratulations to the top 3 recycling buildings @NYCHA Brownsville Houses. Each building boast a 50% recycling rate. 

 

Over 5,000 lbs have been recycled!

This initiative is leading the charge in recycling at NYCHA! Eventhough we still have a lot more work to do, residents are enrolling the program consistently. 

Over 1/2 ton is saved!!

We have collected over 1/2 ton in the first 4 weeks of the pilot. 

Recycling collection has begun!

Door-to-door recycling collection at Brownsville Houses kicked off last week as part of the  Zero-Waste in Shared Space Challenge. Cohort 17 of Green City Force served in high spirits echoing their chant through the community. 

Brownsville Recycling Collection Kick-off Celebration

The two part kick-off celebration was a success! On June 23 Mother's on the Move (MOM), Green City Force (GCF), and GrowNYC collaborated to register residents for the upcoming recycling collection scheduled on July 12th. As an incentive we distributed 100 food boxes that were loaded with the freshest produce from local farmers. On June 30 we conducted a full production which included recycling education workshops, registration into the collection program, surveys with the chance to win a $50 gift card, food boxes. The UpCycle Fashion show from design house "Let Me Dress You by JUICE",  is one of our signature attractions. It demonstrates how vintage clothing can be made into trendy and fashionable designs with imagination and creativity. I can't wait to post all the great images from the event. It's a steady climb, but your donations are most definitely making a difference.

Project has begun!

We have recently implemented the project at the Brownsville Houses and working hard to make sure that every resident knows about the changes that are happening. On June 23rd we will celebrate this unprecedented work by planning a day of fun, activities, along with outreach and recycling education. The event is called the "Door-to-Door Recycling Kick-off Celebration". You are more than welcome to witness what your donation dollars will be doing. Details about the event will follow very soon. 

Over 90% of the goal has been reached!

Our campaign has been an incredible success so far! Many people have given, but we still need a little more help. We only need $675 more in donations to get all of the match coming to us through the Power Up Challenge. Your $25 is going to have a huge impact on our work. TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to give to our first phase of the project. For those who  have donated, THANK YOU for helping to improve our city and our planet through our recycling project.

Can you share your support for the project? Tell a friend... or twenty!

60% of our crowdfunding campaign goal has been reached!

This is an unprecendented initiative that the Mayor's office and many key partners in NYC are standing firmly behind.

Your generosity makes you a part of an initiative that will be a game-changer in how recycling can be addressed in public housing and other multi-dwellings.

So tell a friend...or twenty. Every bit helps!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

♻️♻️♻️

photos

This is where photos will go once we build flickr integration

donors

  • Lyon
  • Anonymous
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  • Gus Field
  • Michelle and Albert Suarez
  • Lisbeth Shepherd
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  • BE
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