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1 By Youth

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1 By Youth in Manassas Garden’s for Good!

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Impact of Keep Virginia Beautiful Grant for 1 By Youth Manassas 2011 Reaches from Richmond to Washington, DC

On May 14, 2011, in Manassas, Virginia, 800 volunteers joined in a “one day, one community, one impact” neighborhood revitalization effort called 1 By Youth.  Volunteers repaired homes, cleaned streets, parks & waterways and transformed a three-acre field in the Point of Woods 1 & 2 and 3 neighborhoods into a thriving community garden and gathering place with the help of a Keep Virginia Beautiful grant, Habitat for Humanity, the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service and many local businesses and faith-based organizations.   In September 2011 in Williamsburg, the City of Manassas and community partners won the Virginia State Neighborhood Conference’s State Neighborhood Youth Group Effort of the Year 2011 for the 1 By Youth project that Keep Virginia Beautiful helped to fund with the $1,000 grant. In October 2011, in Richmond, the City of Manassas and community partners won the prestigious Virginia Municipal League President’s Award for the city’s five years of neighborhood revitalization projects, including the 1 By Youth project that Keep Virginia Beautiful helped to fund. In December 2011, in Washington, D.C., City of Manassas Neighborhood Services Manager Kisha Wilson-Sogunro was called to the White House to participate in the President’s Champions of Change program, a weekly panel and networking discussion with ten Champions, ranging from educators to entrepreneurs to community activists from around the U.S., who were being recognized for the work they are doing to better their communities.  She took the four AmeriCorps VISTA members with her who are working in the G

eorgetown South Community, site of the city’s 2010 1 By Youth project that preceded the one in Point of Woods. The 1 By Youth project in the Point of Woods 1 & 2 and 3 neighborhoods last May has had a lasting impact.  A couple was married in the memorial gazebo that was dedicated to the city’s only fallen police officer, Sergeant John D. Conner III.  The 30-plot community garden has had fall plantings and is now being protected over the winter, thanks to a continuing relationship between residents and the Master Gardeners from the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, and plots are in the process of being rented out to residents for the 2012 spring planting season, as well as expanded.  The community also held several outdoor family movies in the gazebo area this past summer, so the project has generated much community building.  Between now and May 5, 2012, City of Manassas Neighborhood Services is recruiting community partners and volunteers for the Big Day of Serving Manassas on May 5 in the Bristoe Station neighborhood – moving the successful 1 By Youth model to the next area in need of revitalization.  For more information, contact Kisha Wilson-Sogunro at [email protected].

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30 in 30 in Action!

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We got an email from a friend in Manassas (thank you Cindy Brookshire!) who gave us an update on one of our 30 Grants in 30 Days Winners.

1 By Youth swarmed Point of Woods and Stonewall Park for a day of some truly amazing beautification.  You can read about it here. Over 600 volunteers from all over Virginia, Maryland and as far away as Pennsylvania jumped in with rakes, shovels, and other tools to revitalize a neighborhood and a park with cleaning, planting, painting, and creating a tribute gazebo and community garden to honor Sgt. John D. Conner III, the only Manassas City police officer to die in the line of duty.

The volunteers made upgrades to playgrounds, cleaned up woods and creeks, started the garden, and helped clean up some of the neighboring homes.  You can see more fantastic photos of the event (courtesy of Bill Corbett) here.

These fine folks had a host of contributors and donations, like music, meals from Chick-Fil-A, and visits from the George Mason Cheerleaders.  We played only a small part, but we’re glad to have been able to contribute.  We’re especially proud of 1 By Youth for the amazing gift that they were able to give this community.

We’d love to hear from some of our other winners and see some more successes at Keeping Virginia Beautiful!

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Manassas Teams with 1 By Youth in $1K Win

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The City of Manassas and 1 By Youth have been awarded a $1,000 grant in the Beautification and Community Greening Category.  The KVB grant program focuses greater resources and attention on individual localities throughout the Commonwealth and how they are addressing the issues of litter prevention, recycling, waste reduction, beautification and education.

The City of Manassas and 1 By Youth are partnering up to revitalize the Point of Wood Neighborhood.  With the help of over 1500 volunteers  they intend to use the grant to create a huge 3 acre sustainable community garden for the residents of Point of Woods.  In addition to the community garden:  graffiti will be removed, a memorial gazebo will be built, playgrounds will be refurbished, trash will be cleaned up, and homes will be painted.  Revitalization of an entire neighborhood creates a sense of community, belonging, and hope for the future.  The city of Manassas and 1 By Youth plan to do just that through beautifying and greening a neighborhood in need.  For more information on the City of Manassas, 1 By Youth or their joint project, please contact Lori Perez at 703-967-8863 or [email protected].

KVB provided the opportunity for government, non-profit and/or service organizations in Virginia to apply for one of (30) $1,000 grants in three different categories: 10 grants for plastic bag reduction and recycling, 10 grants for cigarette litter prevention, and 10 grants for community greening and beautification.  These grants are made possible by KVB’s partners, Walmart and Waste Management.

The mission at Keep Virginia Beautiful is to engage and unite Virginians to improve our natural and scenic environment.  Our goals include becoming the leading statewide voice, providing a framework for improved communication and collaboration, cultivating and supporting sustainable programs, and engaging citizens by linking them to volunteer opportunities and information through these 5 impact areas:  Litter Prevention, Waste Reduction, Recycling, Beautification, and Environmental Education.