Why ‘Groundwork’?
The Next 20 Years & Beyond
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The Groundwork Center is committed to advancing our mission to protect the environment, strengthen the economy, and build community. Our vision includes:
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Why ‘Resilient Communities’?
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30%
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“What inspires me is how the Groundwork Center makes connections between issues that achieve multiple goals, serves people from all walks of life, and helps communities become more resilient.” Maureen Smyth, Vice Chair, Groundwork Center Board of Directors, Retired Senior Vice President of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
of northwest Michigan’s food by 2020
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We’ve always seen our efforts as laying the groundwork for a better future. After two decades, we’ve learned that it takes both urgency and patience to achieve lasting results and systemic change. For example, we launched our farm to school program 10 years ago in one elementary school in Traverse City. Today our program serves eight northern Michigan districts, thousands of kids are eating healthy local food, and schools are an important new market for growers. As we look forward to the next 20 years, we are dedicated to that same kind of commitment—to laying the groundwork—for innovative local solutions that can serve as models for all of Michigan.
Resilience is about developing durable communities to thrive over the long haul. From a clean environment, to local jobs, to a culture of civic engagement—there are indeed many elements that make up a resilient community. We focus on food, transportation, and energy because, taken together, they offer huge opportunities to enefit people, the en ironment, and the economy. Expanded transportation choices, for example, help families get around with one fewer car; saving them money, reducing emissions, and promoting healthier options like walking and biking. Energy efficiency initiatives create jobs and cut home energy bills and carbon emissions. A strong local food system keeps money local, promotes health, and preserves farmland.
4/23/15 12:09 PM