Resilience in Your Community Posted on December 11, 2015 by Grounded Strategies So we've talked about resilience in a national context, about policies and million dollar grants and about resilience on a city level. But what does all of that mean for the average person? For someone just trying to get by, who doesn't work in sustainability or in disaster relief. How does resilience influence my daily life? Resilience is important everywhere. It gets a lot of attention in this day and age because of the looming threats of climate change, the increasingly…Read More
An inclusive design is the best design Posted on December 8, 2015 by Grounded Strategies It's Sunday afternoon, and the sun is pleasantly streaming through the autumn leaves on a vacant lot in Brighton Heights. Kids amble around the lot, playing with sticks and pine cones. Neighbors are chatting over cups of hot cider, looking on towards the woods around them. They talk about what this place was, and what it could be. The lot they stand on was once home to the St. John's Hospital, but the hospital was abandoned and demolished two decades ago. Now it's…Read More
Resilience in Pittsburgh Posted on November 19, 2015 by Grounded Strategies Our second resilience blog focused on resilience strategies in cities across the nation. This segment will explore some of the not so obvious (and some of the blatantly obvious) resilience linkages in the 412. A lot of organizations are working to build resilience right here in our own backyard - you might be involved in one of their efforts and not even know it! Some GTECH examples of local resilience building efforts. Our Methodology Investigate, Act, Connect and Sustain are…Read More
The Challenges of Reclaiming Vacant Land Posted on November 10, 2015 by Grounded Strategies Creating something new out of a vacant lot isn't always easy. There are a number of challenges a person can run into, but getting access from the property owner can be one of the toughest ones. This was the case for Bridget Little, an Ambassador for GTECH's ReClaim Northside program. This is her story. Bridget, along with many of her neighbors, had been eyeing a large vacant lot in Allegheny West for quite some time. In fact, some had already put…Read More
Resilience Across the Country Posted on November 6, 2015 by Grounded Strategies All across the country, municipalities and cities are realizing the importance of resilience planning. As we discussed in our first resilience blog, resilience doesn't just mean preparing for climate change. It means having systems in place to be able to deal with the unexpected. From heatwaves to economic crises, resilience means having the ability not just to bounce back from a disaster, but to bounce forward. There is no template to follow. Each situation, each community, each region is impacted…Read More
Creating an Inclusive City for All Ages with Gil Penalosa Posted on October 23, 2015 by Grounded Strategies Gil Penalosa is the founder and Board Chair of 8 80 Cities, a nonprofit organization that works with cities all around the world to create inclusive cities for all residents - from 8 to 80 years old! (Think about it like this, would you let an eighty year old or an eight year old - or both of them, together - walk to the park together in your neighborhood?) Gil is a community designer, having worked in cities across the globe, he's helped to advise…Read More
Resilience & Community Health Posted on October 19, 2015 by Grounded Strategies What is Resilience? Resilience... You've probably heard this word a lot lately. Especially now that Pittsburgh has been named one of the Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient Cities. But what does it mean? Well, there are a lot of different kinds of resilience. Psychological resilience. Ecological resilience. Social. Physical. Economic. Climate. Being resilient generally means being prepared for anything, and having the proper mechanisms in place to not just respond, but improve and move forward through their response. It's about bouncing forward instead of…Read More
ReClaim Ambassadors Graduate! Posted on October 8, 2015 by Grounded Strategies We love celebrating the great work of the ReClaim Ambassadors—recently, we were lucky enough to celebrate with two graduations in one week! ReClaim McKeesport Graduation The proclamations, given to each of the Ambassadors at the graduation ceremony, explained the program well; "...ReClaim McKeesport has brought together nine civic-minded individuals for the benefit of this city as the initiative is aimed to beautify neighborhoods and establish a sense of community among those who volunteer..." The Heritage Center was a perfect backdrop - allowing us to celebrate the…Read More
A Fond Farewell and a Happy Welcome Posted on September 30, 2015 by Grounded Strategies It's with mixed emotions that I announce my last day here at GTECH Strategies as the Marketing and Communications Manager. It's been a wonderful three years 3 months. During my time here I've worked with amazingly smart and dedicated individuals and connected with incredible organizations who are making Pittsburgh (and beyond) a better place. My next adventure involves working on my new home and consulting in the world of marketing and communications. So if you find yourself in need of demo…Read More
Volunteers needed for Wethoptober Fest Posted on September 11, 2015 by Grounded Strategies Looking to attend this year's Wethoptober Fest for free? Sign up to volunteer. We are looking for 13 individuals to volunteer from 5:30-9:00P on the evening of October 3 to assist at registration table, pour beer and help us keep everything looking snazzy. During the event we will provide breaks so that you have the chance to enjoy the hopped libations and autumn-themed fare. Sign up below and a GTECH staff member will get in contact with you. If you have…Read More
Two Wheels Lots of Green 2015 Wrap Up! Posted on September 3, 2015 by Grounded Strategies More than 90 bikers visited just a few of the community-driven spaces that the Northside has to offer. Altogether we visited 14 different Northside-based assets, met 10 awesome, active Northside residents and raised more than $12,500 to support neighborhood-based greening initiatives Did you bike with us this year? [View the story "2015 Two Wheels Lots of Green" on Storify]Read More
412Build cohort unveils Homewood-based projects, shares life lessons Posted on August 31, 2015 by Grounded Strategies A mere five weeks ago, local high school students began the 412 Build program – a unique internship that fuses elements of STEAM education, entrepreneurialism, play and community development. On Friday, these proud students unveiled their built additions and shared their personal takeaways. In partnership with the Homewood Bible Center the youth engaged the community, designed kid-centric elements to enhance the Homewood-based playground. Features designed, built and installed by the 412Build cohort The evening kicked off with a passionate Homewood resident taking the…Read More