Grounded Strategies

McKeesport Green Playce Dedication Ceremony
2016-10-16 14:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | 2216 Jenny Lind Street, McKeesport, PA, 15132, United States
Join GTECH Strategies, Youth CAST and the Trinity Church of God in Christ to celebrate the opening of our Green Playce in McKeesport. The site is located at 2216 Jenny Lind Street, McKeesport, PA 15132.

Green Playces: Hill District Volunteer Day
2016-10-13 10:00 - 13:00
Join us at our Green Playces: Hill District Site to help build out our outdoor classroom and environmental education space.
If interested in attending please email Ian Brown

One Northside Traveling Block Party
2016-10-09 15:00 - 18:00 | Riverview Park, Pittsburgh, PA, 15214, United States
The Block Party, a project of One Northside Pittsburgh in partnership with The Buhl Foundation, is excited to announce it’s final of five events in 2016 taking place in Observatory Hill on Sunday October 9. The Block Party is series of mini arts festivals that will call attention to and celebrate the valuable resources and local identities of Northside neighborhoods of Pittsburgh.
GTECH will be there collecting input from neighbors in support of our GTECH GSI project.
This free festival will feature:
• A mobile stage from Flyspace Productions with live performances.
• Stories about the neighborhood are being collected onsite by The Saturday Light Brigade
• Hands-on activities with Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse
• Featuring local visual art and screenprinting with AIR: Artists Image Resource
• Hands on activities with Mattress Factory – Museum of Contemporary Art
• Historical photos courtesy of Allegheny City Historic Gallery
• The Storymobile from Reading is FUNdamental Pittsburgh which will be giving out free books
• Games from City of Play
Brought to you by your friends at New Hazlett Theater, Deutschtown Music Festival and The Sprout Fund.

2016 Blight Bootcamp
2016-10-07 15:00 - 2016-10-08 15:30 | PROPEL Hazelwood, 5401Glenwood Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15207, United States
Blight Bootcamp is a two day event for residents to learn about resources and best practices to increase the impact of community-led blight elimination efforts in Pittsburgh neighborhoods. The conference is hosted by the Pittsburgh Blight Working Group, composed of the City of Pittsburgh, Neighborhood Allies, GTECH, PCRG, URA, and The Design Center Pittsburgh.
Taking place on October 7th and 8th, the 2nd annual Blight Bootcamp will focus on three significant areas of blight remediation work: green space projects, building acquisition and improvement, and organization of resident and volunteers in projects. This event provides the learning and growth opportunity to organizations and residents so that they can lead the change in the health and well-being of their neighborhoods. Conference sessions will highlight work from around the city, including this years host neighborhood, Hazelwood.

Crowdsourced Apples Deadline
2016-10-07 | Grounded Strategies’ Office, 6587 Hamilton Ave., Pittsburgh, 15206, United States
We’re hoping to create a 10 year cider with the help of YOU and A Few Bad Apples. The deadline for apple collection for this is October 7. We need to collect 6 bushels of apples, which translates to approximately a 10 gallon trash. If we are lucky enough to collect more than this amount, A Few Bad Apples will create extra cider to share with their wonderful volunteers or for use in supporting other local nonprofits.
More info can be found in this blog.

WHE Healthy Communities Conference
2016-10-06 08:00 - 17:00
Creating Healthy Communities conference is a one-day summit addressing how our environment impacts public health. Dynamic, nationally-recognized speakers will discuss the scientific, medical, political and community-based approaches to creating healthier communities across the country. Local experts will highlight multiple health topics as they relate to our homes, schools and communities. The conference will educate and encourage attendees to become champions in having a positive impact on the health of our region.

Chipotle Fundraiser for GTECH
2016-10-04 17:00 - 21:00

People Habitat: Eight Ways to Think About Greener, Healthier Cities
2016-09-26 00:00 - 13:00 | August Wilson Center
— Invitation: Brownbag Lunch Presentation —
Featuring: Kaid Benfield, PlaceMakers
“People Habitat: Eight Ways to Think About Greener, Healthier Cities”
Monday, September 26
12:00 pm – 1:15 pm (11:30 registration and networking)
August Wilson Center
Bring a bag lunch (beverages and dessert provided)
No fee to attend.
Advance Registration Required: Register here
Mr. Benfield’s remarks will be appreciated by a wide range of leaders including businesses invested in the region’s prosperity, community developers and placemakers, municipal leaders, sustainability professionals and more.

Presented by: AIA Pittsburgh, Allegheny County Parks Foundation, Bike Pittsburgh, Conservation Consultants, Inc., Friends of the Riverfront, GASP, Green Building Alliance, GTECH, Neighborhood Allies, Nine Mile Run Watershed Association, p4 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Remaking Cities Institute, Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County, Sustainable Pittsburgh, Traffic21 Institute, Tree Pittsburgh

Kaid Benfield, senior counsel for environmental strategies at PlaceMakers LLC based in Washington DC. is one of the nation’s foremost authorities on how cities, towns and neighborhoods can better work — for both people and the environment. He served for over 30 years as senior attorney and director of the smart growth and sustainable communities programs at the Natural Resources Defense Council, co-founded LEED for Neighborhood Development, a national process for defining and certifying smart, green land development, and is a founder and board member of Smart Growth America. Kaid was named one of the “most influential people in sustainable planning and development” by the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, voted one of the “top urban thinkers” on the leading city planning website, Planetizen.com, and named “one of the top 100 city innovators worldwide” by the website Future. Kaid’s latest book is People Habitat: 25 Ways to Think About Greener, Healthier Cities, distributed by Island Press.

Planting day at Hosanna House, Wilkinsburg
2016-09-23 09:00 - 12:00 | Hosanna House, 807 Wallace Ave., Wilkinsburg, PA, 15221, United States
Join us on Friday between 9am and noon as we transform a vacant lot across from the Hosanna House into an outdoor classroom! We will be planting four trees, setting up some raspberry trellises, and building the outdoor classroom. Staff from Hosanna House and Nine Mile Run Watershed Association will be joining us as well. People of all ages and skill-levels are welcome!
If you plan to help out, email Lydia by following this link > or call 412-361-2099 ext. 3.

Allentown Green Playce Dedication Ceremony
2016-09-22 15:00 - 17:00 | ALEC, 827 E Warrington Ave, Pittsburgh, 15210, United States
Join us for a celebration and dedication ceremony for the newly completed Green Playce at the Allentown Learning and Engagement Center.

Please RSVP to i.brown@gtechstrategies.org

Green Playces: APOST/PPG Volunteer Day
2016-09-22 09:00 - 15:30 | Hill District Green Playce, 1852 Enoch St, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, United States
Come volunteer with us to kick off our 6th Green Playce in the Hill District

Pittsburgh Gives Day of Giving
2016-09-21 08:00 - 23:55
Day of Giving is Wednesday, September 21, 2016!
Day of Giving is a one-day online giving event organized by The Pittsburgh Foundation. The goal is to inspire the Greater Pittsburgh community to give together on one day to support the unparalleled work of our local nonprofits.
Join us in supporting the life changing work of our community’s nonprofits on Wednesday, Sept. 21 by donating online between 8 a.m. through 11:59 p.m.

Green Playces: Eat N' Park Volunteer Day
2016-09-20 09:00 - 13:00 | McKeesport Green Playce, 2216 Jenny Lind Street, McKeesport, PA, 15132, United States
Come volunteer at our McKeesport Green Playce and help finish out the site.

Email i.brown@gtechstrategies.org for more details and to sign up!

GTECH's Entrepreneurial Spirits
2016-09-17 18:00 - 21:00 | Wigle Whiskey Barrelhouse, 1055 Spring Garden Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15212, United States
Every year GTECH tests new ideas and innovative solutions with partners to transform blighted, vacant land into community assets. These ambitious projects produce creative solutions and products to tackle social issues and offer new ideas for wide-scale change. As social entrepreneurs our vision is to help Pittsburgh become the most innovative city for addressing vacant land and community disinvestment.
GTECH’s Entrepreneurial Spirits event celebrates and supports our ability to trial new ideas and test innovative solutions for fighting blight and vacancy. The celebration will showcase our history of applied innovation projects and partners, while raising support for GTECH to innovate and test future ventures. This year we’re partnering with Wigle Whiskey to offer an evening of inspired libations; including experimental brews, hopped whiskey, local food and great conversation at the Wigle Whiskey Barrel House.
Applied Innovation is GTECH’s program to research and develop new tools, partnerships, and value added products to improve the social, environmental and economic health of communities. The program has grown since piloting growing hops on vacant land, to building outdoor classrooms with Green Playces and launching an interactive online resource for reclaiming vacant land through Lots to Love.
Tickets for the 2016 event are $25 and include:

First 50 tickets get a custom g jar
Sample pour of beer from Allegheny City Brewing
Sample pour of cider from A Few Bad Apples
Wigle Whiskey Tasting
One full size wigle whiskey cocktail

Thanks to our generous sponsors for making this event possible!

Green Playce McKeesport Volunteer Day with US Steel
2016-09-15 09:00 - 13:00 | Trinity Church of God in Christ, 2216 Jenny Lind Street, McKeesport, PA, 15132, United States
Join us for a volunteer day with US Steel on our Green Playces McKeesport site.

Resilience Fair
2016-09-14 16:00 - 20:00 | Southside Market House, 1 Bedford Square , Pittsburgh, PA, 15203, United States
Join us for an update on the City’s Resilience Strategy, and come visit local speakers and resource tables that showcase city-wide resilience initiatives. Learn how we’re working to make Pittsburgh and our residents stronger, and how you can get involved. Bring your thoughts on what a resilient Pittsburgh should look like.

Labor Day
2016-09-05
The GTECH office will be closed on September 5, 2016, in observance of Labor Day.

Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference Early Bird Special Ends Today!
2016-08-31 08:00 - 23:55
Early Bird Rates end at 11:59pm EST TODAY! Sign up while you can and save $200!
Register by clicking the image below!

Grassroots Green Homes Summer Celebration
2016-08-27 11:00 - 15:00 | Flagstaff Hill, Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States
GGH Summer Celebration & Toolkit Distribution Day
(Tools and Tips #5&6)
Saturday, 11am-3pm
Flagstaff Hill
(Schenley Park, across from Phipps)
food – games – prizes

Pop Up and Play
2016-08-24 16:00 - 18:00
Join all of our partners at Green Playces: McKeesport for a Pop Up and Play extravaganza! There will be games, food, storytime, and a gardening project. For more information, click here.

5th Annual Two Wheels Lots of Green
2016-08-20 09:00 - 14:00 | Beltzhoover Community Center, 403 Gearing Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15210
Greenspaces are popping up all over South Pittsburgh. Learn the “story” behind GTECH’s vibrant community spaces at the Two Wheels Lots of Green bike tour. This year’s guided bike tour features unique greenspaces, including gardens, games, colorful trailheads, outdoor classrooms designed by youth, a ribbon cutting ceremony, and an historic incline site turned into a greenway, and more.
Refreshments such as iced coffee from Black Forge Coffee and bike-powered smoothies from Green Mountain Energy will be provided throughout the tour. Afterwards we will celebrate with a garden party at the Garden on Gearing with a food tent from Sweet Peaches and a pop-up playground with City of Play.
Register to experience these unique green spaces and meet the community members who made them possible. The ride will take place from 9 am – Noon, followed by the garden party from Noon – 2 pm.The ride will start and conclude at the Garden on Gearing. When registering you have the option to sign up for a shorter relaxed route (4 miles) or a longer rigorous route ( 7 mile route with some hills).

We are excited about how this event continues to grow and helps fuel GTECH’s mission! We have free tickets available for those who are in need of financial assistance. Contact Katherine Chamberlain at k.chamberlain@gtechstrategies.org or 412-361-2099 to use them.

Here is a video from our first Two Wheels Lots of Green event.

Sponsors

Green Playces: Hilltop Workday
2016-08-15 09:30 - 13:30 | ALEC, 827 E Warrington Ave, Pittsburgh, 15210, United States
Join GTECH on the Green Playces: Hilltop site for our final workday! We will be finishing components and sprucing up the site! Please RSVP to i.brown@gtechstrategies.org to attend.

Learn, Climb, and Grow in Wilkinsburg
2016-08-10 10:00 - 11:00 | Hosanna House, 807 Wallace Ave., Wilkinsburg, PA, 15221, United States
Come preview Green Playces: Wilkinsburg on August 10 from 9-11am! There will be a short presentation and fun activities for children of all ages.

Final Wilkinsburg Green Playce Design

Green Playces: Hilltop Workday
2016-08-03 09:30 - 13:30 | ALEC, 827 E Warrington Ave, Pittsburgh, 15210, United States
Join GTECH staff interns on the Green Playces: Hilltop site. We will be building out components of the site! Please RSVP to i.brown@gtechstrategies.org to attend.

Open Streets
2016-07-31 09:00 - 13:00
OpenStreetsPGH is a free event series run by BikePGH. They host three community-building, family-friendly, city-transforming events in Pittsburgh every summer. July’s route will include parts of the West End, Northside, and Downtown. Visit this link for a route map.
OpenStreetsPGH is part of a movement called Ciclovia, which includes 100s of cities across the globe. OpenStreetsPGH is also a group of businesses, neighbors, non-profits, and others who want to help Pittsburgh be the healthiest, most active, and happiest city it can be.

Noah's Ark Community Park Volunteer Day
2016-07-23 09:00 - 11:00 | Unnamed Venue, 704 Market st , McKeesport, 15132, United States
On Saturday July 23rd at 9am there will be a Community Clean-up Day for NOAH’S ARK COMMUNITY PARK
This will be the one big clean-up day for the summer to get things in order.
Lunch will be provided
RSVP by email: rhonda.moorer@bnymellon.com or lionqueen728@hotmail.com.

Green Playces: McKeesport Workday
2016-07-19 09:00 - 14:00
Join GTECH staff and Eat N’ Park volunteers on the Green Playces: McKeesport site. We will be building out components of the site! Please RSVP to i.brown@gtechstrategies.org to attend.

Green Playces: Wilkinsburg Workday
2016-07-13 09:00 - 14:00
Join GTECH staff and MAYA Designs volunteers on the Green Playces: Wilkinsburg site. We will be building out components of the site! Please RSVP to i.brown@gtechstrategies.org to attend.

Green Playces: Hilltop Workday
2016-07-12 09:00 - 13:00 | ALEC, 827 E Warrington Ave, Pittsburgh, 15210, United States
Join GTECH staff and Apple volunteers on the Green Playces: Hilltop site. We will be building out components of the site! Please RSVP to i.brown@gtechstrategies.org to attend.

Independence Day
2016-07-04
The GTECH office will be closed on July 4, 2016, in observance of Independence Day.
