2017 ANNUAL REPORT “

Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. “ – John F. Kennedy 2017 marked a decade of service for the organization. It was a year of many changes, but it was also a year of celebration, learning, and growth - and we aren’t done yet!

For more than a decade, GTECH Strategies has been dedicated to change. We’ve added new communities, new partners, and new Ambassadors to our network. We have expanded team expertise as a way to extend our ability to build and distribute capacity and resources in the places that need it most.

Today, we take another step forward and change our name to one that more closely reflects the work we do. Grounded in people, grounded in places, grounded in community. GTECH Strategies is now Grounded and we’re recommitting ourselves to help people and communities drive their own transformation.

Thank you for wholeheartedly being a part of the Grounded movement. We can’t wait to see what comes next!

Sincerely,

Evaine K. Sing Executive Director

6587 Hamilton Ave #1W | Pittsburgh, PA 15206 www.groundedpgh.org 412.361.2099 BY THE NUMBERS

COMMUNITIES 2017: 26 ENGAGED 26 2016: 24 32 VACANT LOTS 2015: 19 We build relationships with organizations, businesses, community development TRANSFORMED 2014: 15 corporations, and individuals doing amazing work. We connect residents to funding, education, and technical resources. We learn from every new partner in each community we visit.

CITY Homewood 626 Allegheny Center Lincoln-Lemington- HOURS OF RESIDENT Allegheny West Belmar EDUCATION Allentown Larimer COUNTY 26 AMBASSADORS Bedford Dwellings Middle Hill Clairton Brighton Heights Manchester Homestead Central Northside Marshall-Shadeland McKeesport 10 STEWARDS Deutschtown Mt. Oliver Millvale East Hills Observatory Hill Wilkinsburg 43 East Liberty Perry Hilltop LIAISONS COMMUNITY PARTNERS Fineview Spring Garden 5 Hazelwood St. Clair

VOLUNTEERS EVENTS DATA OFFICE

COMMUNITIES 1044 12 SURVEYED 3 REPORTS VOLUNTEERS 12 EVENTS HOSTED 1121 CONFERENCES 4440 SURVEYS COLLECTED VOLUNTEER HOURS 5 2017 ACTIVITIES CLAIRTON NORTHSIDE GREEN NEIGHBORHOOD Resilience Generation Bundled Environmental Environmental PLAYCE CONNECTIONS Lunchtime Lot* Services* Education Millvale Needs Airspace Clairton 2.o SHERWOOD Assessment* Two Wheels Lots of ReClaim Central FOREST Food City Upgrades* Green Lincoln Way Perry Hilltop Fineview LandCare PGH Mobile Toolbox Planning* Homewood Greening CCP Learning Exchange Spring Hill Corridor Clusters Remake Learning ENVIRONMENTAL Study* GTECH GSI Playlist EDUCATION ReClaim Clairton CommunityCare RESILIENCE Clairton Green Playces Possibilities Project GENERATION Northside Neighborhood LandLab Connections Sherwood Forest *Not Pictured

AIRSPACE LINCOLN WAY CLAIRTON 2.0

RECLAIM CENTRAL

CCP LEARNING EXCHANGE TWO WHEELS PGH MOBILE LOTS OF TOOLBOX GREEN

POSSIBILITIES LANDCARE RECLAIM CLAIRTON HOMEWOOD REMAKE GREENING LEARNING CLUSTERS PLAYLIST

GTECH GSI

COMMUNITY LAND LAB CARE 12 Partners Engaged

Local artist Kamara Townes livened up this existing shed with a beautiful GREEN PLAYCES: CLAIRTON mural.

Green Playces are hives of education, After consulting with the landowners at innovation, creativity, science and, most Morningstar Baptist Church, stakeholders importantly, play. These youth-created at the municipality and, of course, youth green spaces are implemented on vacant users of the space, Grounded designed or under-utilized land and provide what might be our most varied Green 125 opportunities for outdoor STEAM learning Playce yet. Landforce, volunteers from for youth in some of our most distressed US Steel, youth from Gwen’s Girls, and Youth communities. Clairton residents helped build out a Engaged space that acts as play space, community The Green Playces Initiative champions garden, picnic area, and theater all in one. youth voices in every step of the place-making process. From designing and planning with landscape architects, to learning construction and teamwork 477 skills while building Green Playce sites, Volunteer to stewarding sites for years to come, our unique curriculum creates opportunity Hours for youth to learn valuable skills for implementing positive change in their communities. Food City Upgrades Perry Hilltop Sankofa Village Expanded access to garden and park Fineview Open Space Plan Community Celebrations Comprehensive plan identifying green Three event series Volunteer and open space opportunites. Residents 100 Hours 70 Engaged

Manchester Growing Together Farm Lighthouse Sustainable Return on Investment Jr. Ambassador Analysis Program Residents Youth garden upgrades Interview and development 42 of educational curriculumm

Allentown Millvale Lunchtime Lot Community Needs ReGen 200 residents engaged in this Assessment Overview transformation of a vacant lot. Data collection to improve social In 2017, Grounded partnered with 8 service provision community organizations to increase Communities the impact and quality of their projects Awarded through the Resilience Generation (ReGen) 15 500 381 program. Volunteer Hours Surveys Collected ReGen is a technical assistance program available to residents in Allegheny County $257,000 working to advance community health and in parter investments resilience. Selected communities receive technical expertise and financial support from Grounded in an effort to increase the $196,700 resilience of vulnerable communities. The program will run through 2019 and award support leveraged by partners 24 organizations in total. It is so important to save our planet and improve the

environment. My experience We engaged youth, parents, “ and staff from Providence

The O-27 sewer-shed has been identified as a Liaison certainly made 182,418 Connections in Marshall- as a priority stormwater management Shadeland to design a rain me think deeper about Gallons of Annual garden and gathering space area by the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer “ conservation, the “power” Stormwater in a community-facing green Authority (PWSA). It includes parts space of Perry Hilltop, Marshall-Shadeland, of rain (elements) and Capture Brighton Heights, and Observatory Hill. importance of “green” The goal of the our Green Stormwater energy. Infrastructure (GSI) project is to maximize community benefit associated with - Maria Searcy, Perry Hilltop 50 upcoming stormwater infrastructure Community Liaison Rain Barrels investments in O-27. In order to achieve this goal, Grounded equipped residents locations for GSI, resident-identified Distributed in O-27 with information so that they needs, and project implementation were well-positioned to participate in feasibility. the community engagement process, we identified resident goals associated We collaborated with As part of this process, we worked with residents and staff from with green storm-water infrastructure 4 residents from the neighborhoods of Riverview Manor Senior (GSI), and identified the overlap of good Brighton Heights, Marshall-Shadeland, Living facility to upgrade their Observatory Hill, and Perry Hilltop. These outdoor facilities and build a residents worked as Community Liaisons wildflower meadow and flow- through planters to help maximize outreach and resident input, share educational resources with neighbors, and ensure our process is customized to meet the needs of each Collectively, the O-27 Liaisons Over neighborhood. completed 386 hours of service as Grounded’s front line of Three demonstration projects and one stormwater knowledge and communication to their respec- 350 watershed awareness workshop were tive communities. Surveys completed in the O-27 sewershed in 2017. Collected

We make things like Grounded staff completed the construction with

this happen because of help from volunteer partnerships. Everything groups including youth “ “ from Allegheny’s County’s we’ve done worthwhile CISP program, Starbucks, Pittsburgh Job Corps, and has been done through Hosanna House. partnership, and you all have been a great partner.

- Leon E. Haynes III, Executive Director of the Hosanna House

SHERWOOD FOREST Following up on a successful Green Playce The site now includes a low ropes course, project at their Wilkinsburg facility, mud kitchen and shelter, shaded outdoor Hosanna House asked Grounded to help classroom and stage, a dry stream, and re-imagine the underutilized wooded campfire ring. area of their camp and event property in Forest Hills. A small wooded lot on the Grounded staff completed the campus of the Sherwood Event Center construction with help from several was transformed into a forest play space volunteer groups including youth rich with activity. from Allegheny’s County’s Community Intensive Supervision Program (CISP), Grounded worked closely with staff to Starbucks, Pittsburgh Job Corps, and incorporate new elements for creative Hosanna House. Native plantings play and engagement outdoors. Timbers installed by the Nine Mile Run Watershed Grounded’s experience in using inex- and fallen branches from the site were Association further enhanced the space. pensive materials stretched each dollar. Timbers from the site were used for used for benches, balance beams, and benches, balance beams and tight-rope tight-rope walks. Other items such as a A project that was only a seed of an idea walks. Other items such as a stone stone countertop and sink were rescued in the spring, has blossomed in time to countertop and sink were rescued from from Construction Junction. host summer camp adventures for years Construction Junction. to come. 300 Volunteers Equipped 46 Workdays

When it comes to community projects, we beautification, and the implementation find that there is often a lot of motivation, and maintenance of greenspace projects. resources for events, and partnerships with service providing organizations but The PGH Mobile Toolbox supports a often there is a shortage of tools available growing network of residents who are to communities to sustain the caretaking ready to mobilize and transform their and stewardship of their green projects. communities. The range of work in 2017, included the installation of a food garden, Beginning in the spring of 2017, Grounded orchard, and flower garden, vacant land and Neighborhood Allies rolled out this maintenance, community clean-ups, 27 shared community resource to residents, and preparation for neighborhood volunteer groups and organizations celebration events. This resource is Sites in need of landscaping tools for available to residents county-wide. Visited neighborhood cleanups, vacant lot [Grounded] has supported

our ideas. They have

supported us. They brought “ Ambassadors Pam, Ta’Sean, out our talents. The Phyllis, and Shamaiia “ installed seating, flower education was phenomenal. 11 plantings, as well as large- scale interactive games [Grounded] gave us resources Ambassadors at this site on Junilla and and told us where to go for Bedford Ave. help.

Rhonda Lockett - ReClaim Central Ambassadors, Rhonda and Willie Ambassador transformed the Serenity lot to create a safe and serene space in which to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of the surrounding Throughout the classes, the Ambassadors neighborhood. designed their own vacant lot projects and rallied their communities to bring the Through our previous work on the Hill projects to life. By transitioning forgotten District Vacant Property Strategy in 2012, spaces into vibrant community assets, Grounded learned that central Hill District ReClaim Central equips residents to put Tamaira, Cheryl, and Louise transitioned this lot on residents have an over abundance of their own ideas into action and helps fuel 834 Bedford Ave into a space vacant lots, and a clearly stated need for an ongoing revitalization process. where Hill District residents more outdoor community spaces paired Total can all relax, read, play with a desire to become self sustaining. Today, thanks to these dedicated Volunteer games and enjoy each Ambassadors, the Hill District has four other’s company. In the winter of 2016, Grounded recruited new places to meet, relax, and play. Hours 11 Central Hill District residents to become our newest cohort of Ambassadors. Because these spaces were imagined by Over 6 months, these resident leaders neighborhood residents, voluntarily built Ambassadors, Gail and participated in an educational series by their neighbors, and supported by local Brenda completed this of classes and workshops designed to community organizations, the goal is for site on Kirkpatrick St. This colorful site has flowerbeds, teach about the impact of vacant land these projects to be maintained for years play-structures, shade and and connect them to a process and the to come and spark more community- seating for families. resources needed to reclaiming it. based actions. When you’re around a clean

environment it makes you feel

“better. When there’s trash and the grass is overgrown, it’s depressing.“ CommunityCare is here to help us clean up our 10 community. It’s working and it’s going to help everyone do their Community part. Stewards

Charmaine McDonald - CommunityCare Steward 12 Maintained The simple act of maintaining green space address this challenge by developing and Sites improves a community’s appearance, testing an incentive-based stewardship decreases crime, and contributes to a model called CommunityCare. healthy and resilient environment. Grounded’s CommunityCare Program Currently, there is a shortage of resources adapts the traditional approach to being allocated to proactively maintain volunteer-led stewardship to recognize, green and open spaces in the public reward, and equip residents to participate 73 realm, resulting in overgrown, unsafe, in green-space maintenance work. and inactive lots and green investments. Maintainance In 2017, the CommunityCare Stewards Hours Additionally, this is an issue that completed more than 70 hours of disproportionately affects low- and maintenance throughout Homewood. In moderate-income communities who may early 2018, they’ll be trained to respond not always have the capacity to donate to a broader range of greenspace ‘free time’ to volunteer-ism efforts. needs,including tree care and green Grounded is piloting an approach to stormwater infrastructure upkeep. ORGANIZATIONAL Pennsylvania Department of Hosanna House FINANCIALS* Environmental Protection Imagebox SUPPORTERS IOBY REVENUE 1/1/17 - 12/31/17 CORPORATE Jackson/Clark Partners FOUNDATION Amazon Smile Foundation $ 715,213 Benter Foundation Threadbare Birmingham Foundation Trust-Franklin Press Government $ 98,335 Buhl Foundation 71% 10% US Steel Individuals & Board $ 35,706 Colcom Foundation Wigle Whiskey 4% Google Tides Foundation Corporate $ 9,314 Microsoft 1% Grable Foundation Omicelo Cares, Inc 3% Other Non Profit Partners $ 29,403 11% Hillman Foundation Painting With A Twist Earned $ 111,559 Heinz Endowments Eat ‘n Park Hospitality Group Neighborhood Allies Glassautomatic, Inc. Total $999,530 PNC Charitable Trust UPMC PNC Foundation Allen & Shariff Engineering, Landforce EXPENSES 1/1/17 - 12/31/17 Richard King Mellon Babst Calland Nine Mile Run Watershed Foundation Bridgeway Capital Association People $ 519,151 The Sprout Found Fairview Capital Operation Better Block Program $ 303,467 31% McAuley Ministries Kelly Insurance Group Peoples Natural Gas McKeesport Hospital Maher Duessel Pittsburgh Community Professional Fees $ 63,948 Foundation Reinvestment Group Office & Computer $ 34,305 53% Highmark Foundation Pittsburgh Major Taylor % COMMUNITY 6 Cycling Club (PMTCC) Allegheny Land Trust Facilities $ 47,415 Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Ascender Other $ 17,269 3% Propel Schools 5% Center for Community 2% PULSE Total $985,555 Progress Rebuilding Together Civic Square, LLC Pittsburgh ClearMind Consulting, LLC BALANCE SHEET AS OF 12/31/2017 Sprout Fund Conservation Consultants Inc Sustainable Pittsburgh Cash and Investments $ 461,845 Coro Pittsburgh The Friendship Circle Accounts Receivable $ 243,295 Economic Development South Falk School of Sustainability Other Assets $ 13,896 GOVERNMENT at Chatham University Allegheny County Fineview Citizens Council Fixed Assets $ 9,788 Conservation District Fourth Economy Allegheny County Health Total Assets $ 728,824 Green Building Alliance Department Green Mountain Energy Liabilities $ 21,056 Urban Redevelopment Group Against Smog and Authority (URA) Net Assets $ 707,768 Pollution (GASP) Pennsylvania Department of Grow Pittsburgh Total Liabilities and Net $ 728,824 Community & Economic Heinz College Assets * ALL NUMBERS ARE UNAUDITED Development Hilltop Alliance The Penn State Center The Cornelia Fund Joanna Deming Nancy Levine Clean Water Action Tree Pittsburgh Courtland Gould Joe Marren Nathan Wildfire Community Alliance of Trust-Franklin Press Craig Marcus John Niederberger Nick Palmisiano Spring Garden and East University of Pittsburgh, Cynthia Wallace John Rhoades Nehlsen Household Deutchtown (CASGED) Graduate School of Public Dan & Tara Gupton Jon Pastor Pam Eichenbaum Congress of Neighboring and International Affairs David Lassman Jonathan Lusin Robert and Sharon Watson Communities Winchester Thurston School Deborah Gracey Jordan Fischbach Robert Livorio Duquesne School of Diane Bickford Joseph Wilson III Pharmacy INDIVIDUAL DONORS Dora Magovern Joyce Leifer Focus Pittsburgh Alexander Denmarsh Dr Jeanne A Cooper Fund Justin Dandoy Group Against Smog and Alison Steele Elena Donoso Brown Justin Weaver Tim Lydon Pollution (GASP) Allen Biehler Eliana Latterman Karen Worley Todd Owens Hill District Consensus Group Amy Boots Elizabeth Stephens Katherine Chamberlain Zaheen Hussain Housing Authority of the City Andrew Bonenberger Elizabeth Urbaitis of Pittsburgh Angela Bickford Charles Goodwin IOBY Anna Archer Fara Garretson PROJECT PARTNERS Landforce Felix Fusco Allegheny City Society McKeesport Area School Fernando Cardoza Robin L Young Allegheny County District Frank Dawson Ryan Mustio Department of Economic Neighborhood Allies Gary Cirrincione Sara Innamorato Development Nine Mile Run Watershed Gavin Deming Sarah Mayer Allegheny County Health Association Hannah Hardy Sarah Wilson Department Operation Better Block Harry Hochheiser Sean Brady Allegheny Land Trust Penn Future Irene McLaughlin Shequaya Bailey Bedford Dwellings Tenant Pittsburgh Community James Snow Katie Sewall Stephen Robinson Association Reinvestment Group Jamil Bey Kelly M Cummings Steve Delucia City of Clairton Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Jane Butcher Kelsey Halling Steven Weeks Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Autumn Walker Janet Ban Kevin Gieder Steven Werth Authority (PWSA) Ben Stanton Jason Heilman Kimberly Zytnick Susan Smith Propel: Andrew Street Benjamin Milleville Jason Hochreter La Grase Murphy Suzanne Photos St. James AME Church Brad Palmisiano Jeff Dzamko Lauren Renaud Taylor B Savala Tree Pittsburgh Cara Jette Jeffrey Honnold Lauri Fink Terrell Jefferson Wigle Whiskey Carole Anderson Jill Bremyer Laurie Graham Terri Baltimore Women for a Healthy Casey Leman Leslie Garner Franklin Tevin J Monroe Environment Charity Torchia Linda Wallen Thomas Hussar Chelsea Burket Linden Mueller Chen Household Lydia McShane Cheryl Larry Maribeth Hook City of Pittsburgh THANK YOU Chitra Gurung Masoud Sayles City Planning Chris Watson Matthew Ciccone Innovation & Performance TO ALL OUR Chris West Michael Smith Public Works Christine Lovejoy Millar Family Fund Clairton Cares PARTNERS! Cindy Tilson Monica J Philippone Clairton Youth Collaborative AMBASSADORS BOARD Chelsea Burket CENTRAL Jordan Fischbach Louise Powe David Lassman Gail Felton Sarah Williams Wilson Brenda Toley Charles Goodwin Pamela Walker Dora P. Magovern Tamaira Binion Benjamin Milleville Phyllis Ghafoor Elizabeth Stephens Cheryl Larry Matthew Ciccone Willie Larry GSI LIAISONS Andrew Butcher Shamaiia Watkins Ronald Garland Sr Kristin Hughes* Rhonda Lockett Dana Fowler Lisa Freeman* Ta’sean Fields Elizabeth Urbaitis Shad Henderson* 2017 STAFF Jacqueline Bey Anna Archer Thom Watkins INTERNS Ariam Ford Joseph Marren* Evaine K. Sing COMMUNITYCARE Kate Hancock* Gavin White* STEWARDS Miranda Micire Kevin Gieder Beverly Howell Laier-Rayshon Smith* Lydia Kramer* Jerome Jackson Lili Kashef* Rachel Bowers Charmaine McDonald Bree Prioleau* Rebecca Mizikar Michelle Jackson Tom Tao* Shequaya Bailey LaVarr Peters Tom Mulholland Donnell Pearl *Thanks to those who James Snow* Nafi P. Lyman completed their service Sarah Koenig* CLAIRTON Yvonne Terry this year Ian Brown* Anton Jackson Nena Harrell Tacumba Turner* Skylar Randolp Khadijah Bey Lydia Yoder* Felix Fusco Jawanna Warren LANDCARE CONTRACTORS Janella Hamlin Prmier Touch Cleaning Dr. Pauline Long Hilltop Rising Donna Hudson KRJ Enterprises Ty Allen Amani Christian CDC Susan Vigliotti Poorlaw Toni Schley Ervin Home Beautification Bikila Darden Center that CARES Jaden McDougald Chatman Properties Annette Halcomb City Soure Associates