Groundwork New Orleans

The mission of Groundwork New Orleans is to bring about the sustained regeneration, improvement, and management of the physical environment by developing community-based partnerships that empower people, businesses, and organizations to promote environmental, economic and social well-being.

Groundwork New Orleans shares its mission with more than twenty three Groundwork Trusts around the country. Each Trust is an independent, environmental and business-minded non-profit, that together form the Groundwork USA Network.

Groundwork New Orleans works with people to improve the livability of New Orleans for all residents, including desired plants and animals. As a vital part of the ecology of New Orleans, people are the primary force for ensuring its health and survival. Our main programs are Youth Development which includes our Green Team, an environmental job training program for high school students and the Ground Crew, which is a green collar career workforce development program for young adults 19 to 25.  Our programs include Urban Revitalization, Green Infrastructure, Urban Waters, and Youth Environmental Education. For more in formation please visit our website or follow us on social media.

The Green Team is designed to offer New Orleans high school students, ages 14 to 18, paid positions to lead local environmental initiatives, conduct water testing, practice environmental stewardship, and participate in hands-on community improvement/revitalization projects throughout the City of New Orleans. The program addresses issues such as stormwater management, protection and restoration of critical ecological systems and natural resources. The program also enhances cultural connections to the natural environment in New Orleans, by engaging teens in advocacy and service-learning efforts aimed to improve waterways, parks and open spaces. The program has dual goals: to prepare New Orleans’ youth for a lifetime of environmental leadership; and to beautify and improve the physical environment.

The Ground Crew is designed to offer young adults, ages 19 to 25, green infrastructure skills training in landscape design, installation and maintenance. The Crew provides hands on training in environmental improvement and community development projects that focus on green infrastructure, environmental education, landscaping, job and life skills. The program includes the care of a native plant nursery, installation and maintenance of flow-through planters, private and public rain gardens, and administration of home stormwater surveys to help residents know what GI Features will work best at their home. The participants in the workforce program will learn to install the planters, rain barrels, and raised beds. They will learn work skills, professionalism when dealing with clients, tool usage and safety, flood mitigation and environmental and financial literacy.