Economic Development Nuestras Raíces works with residents to develop businesses and jobs, thus promoting economic development by and for the people of Holyoke. A variety of initiatives have been implemented, including a communal food processing kitchen, farmers’ markets, a restaurant and bakery, and a farmer training project, to name a few. Using locally produced food and employing and training local residents, the citizens of Holyoke benefit from these community enterprises.
Women’s Leadership Group Nuestras Raíces supports a group of women who meet regularly to develop business and leadership skills, and learn to be active in community issues.
watershed at the Tierra de Oportunidades farm site, creating nature trails with bilingual signs, and restoring riparian corridors there along the Connecticut River.
Nuestras Raíces Institute The Institute serves to train a new generation of urban agriculture and environmental leaders by sharing their knowledge and successes with other communities and organizations through tours, training programs, workshops, and conferences.
RootsUp Green Jobs Program Partnering with other public and private agencies, Nuestras Raíces’ RootsUp Program trains young adults for jobs in the green industry, including the fields of solar hot water systems installation, energy audits and efficiency, sustainable landscaping, and agriculture.
Environmental Justice Project
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Funded by the Environmental Protection Agency’s CARE Program, Nuestras Raíces is working with partners to organize a Holyoke-based Environmental Health Coalition that will identify environmental health risks in the community and develop ways to address those risks. A team of youth is working to learn more about the environmental problems facing residents by researching the presence of pollutants, their origins, and their effects in Holyoke, as well as hearing concerns from and sharing information with residents. The youth are also learning about the flora, fauna, soil, and
Photo by permission of Nuestras Raíces
LEARNING BY EXAMPLE: CASE STUDIES