Community Voices
The WE ACT TCTAC Community Voices are grassroots organizations working to connect the communities they serve across New Jersey and New York to the assistance provided by the WE ACT TCTAC.
Community Voices Organizations
The WE ACT TCTAC developed Community Voices, a region-wide cohort of grassroots organizations supporting the WE ACT TCTAC’s in-person outreach, helping determine regional environmental, climate, and energy justice priorities throughout New Jersey and New York. This group of grassroots organizations is working with the WE ACT TCTAC to deliver in-person trainings and connect communities to the full array of resources and technical support. Community Voices participants are joining a network of environmental justice organizations and will help achieve movement-building goals throughout New Jersey and New York.
Friends of Metcalf Park
The Friends of Metcalf Park is a volunteer and community-led organization based in the Historic Valley section of Orange, NJ. We are dedicated to the revitalization and preservation of vital public open space for the benefit of ensuring the health and wellness of current and future generations. Our mission is to build environmental and health equity and justice in Orange, NJ by ensuring residents advocate, educate, organize, restore, and preserve their community resources.
Sustainable Finger Lakes
Sustainable Finger Lakes (SFLX) is a citizen-based organization founded in 2004 with a mission to promote the long-term well-being of our region by integrating social equity, economic vitality, ecological stewardship, and shared responsibility. We act as a convener, connector, and catalyst to engage both the grassroots and policymakers in the work of redesigning how we work and live so that our community can successfully cope with global influences such as climate disruption and energy transitions. Projects and programs have focused on climate action and clean energy, sustainable community development, green-collar jobs, sustainable enterprise, and economic/ecological justice.
Native American Advancement Corp
Native American Advancement Corp (NAAC) is a dedicated organization championing environmental justice, cultural preservation, and community empowerment in South Jersey and beyond. By fostering strategic partnerships and providing technical assistance, NAAC supports underserved communities in advancing climate resilience, tree equity, and sustainable development. Together, we are creating thriving, equitable futures for all.
The LeadSafeCNY Coalition
As a part of the United Way of Central New York, The LeadSafe CNY Coalition aims to reduce child lead poisoning in the region. It unites stakeholders from healthcare, housing, education, philanthropy, government, and affected residents to implement effective strategies.
In 2022, the Onondaga County Health Department found that 11.2 percent of Syracuse children tested had lead levels over 5 mcg/dL. The coalition addresses this by promoting safe, affordable housing, lead-free construction, home renovations, community outreach, training, workforce development, and public policy initiatives. With five working subcommittees, the coalition fosters dialogue, addresses concerns, reviews practices, and seeks solutions for county-wide lead issues, collaborating to combat the challenges of lead poisoning.
The Clean Air Coalition of Western New York
The Clean Air Coalition builds power by developing grassroots leaders who organize their communities to run and win environmental justice and public health campaigns in Western New York.
Operation Grow
The mission of Operation Grow Inc. is to improve quality of life, build economic prosperity, develop good citizenship, and foster environmental stewardship through human, economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Operation Grow engages in environmental justice with our climate action, urban agriculture, and environmentally sustainable practices.
The Farmworkers Support Committee (CATA)
The Farmworkers Support Committee is a non-profit organization founded by migrant farmworkers in New Jersey in 1979. CATA is a grassroots, membership-based organization working with farmworkers and the Latino immigrant community in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. CATA’s work focuses on workers’ rights, health and safety in the workplace, immigrant’s rights, and food justice.
Westchester Alliance for Sustainable Solutions (WASS)
Westchester Alliance for Sustainable Solutions (WASS) is a county-wide effort to move our communities to Zero Waste and make Wheelabrator-Peekskill obsolete. WASS’ focus is to educate Westchester municipalities about the dangers of trash incineration and the ease and importance of adopting alternative solutions. Peekskill, NY is an environmental justice community that is home to the Wheelabrator facility that burns most of Westchester County’s trash. It is the largest source of air pollution in the county, the health impacts of which are harming Peekskill and neighboring communities.
Long Island Progressive Coalition (LIPC)
The Long Island Progressive Coalition (LIPC) fights for structural change at the local, state, and national levels to attain racial justice, build community wealth, and realize a just transition to a 100% renewable energy future. We mobilize Long Islanders through political education, grassroots organizing, leadership development, and the creation of cooperative economic institutions to redistribute wealth and power.
Herkimer County HealthNet
Herkimer County HealthNet works to improve the health and well-being of individuals who live, work, play, and learn in Herkimer County. Originally conceived as the “Herkimer County Healthcare Planning Consortium,” this informal coalition of concerned stakeholders met to discuss the threats to Herkimer County’s health and human services systems; specifically, the closure and consolidation of county hospitals. The group’s purpose and goal was to be a consortium committed to improving Herkimer County by providing services, as well as by serving as the leader in coordinating efforts that directly impacted the health and well-being of county residents.
Brooklyn Packers
Founded in 2016, Brooklyn Packers is a Black-led, worker-owned food sourcing, packing, and distribution cooperative. We form a conduit between farms and the city, building Brooklyn food sovereignty. We organize to make, and be a part of, a local solidarity economy, working closely with other small businesses and organizations who share our two-pronged commitment to food and labor justice. Brooklyn Packers handles bulk food acquisition, packaging, and transport for like-minded clients, such as mutual aid groups and food security organizations.
The East Trenton Collaborative
The East Trenton Collaborative is a community-based initiative of Isles Inc. and is supported by UrbanPromise Trenton. Funds for New Jersey also help to support our Lead-FreeNJ hub. By collaborating with residents, community leaders, city officials, and stakeholders, the East Trenton Collaborative addresses traffic safety, park conditions, and environmental health in the East Trenton neighborhood through resident-led community organizing committees.
Food for the Spirit
Food for the Spirit’s (F4tS) mission is to work in partnership with frontline communities who value food sovereignty to build solidarity and collective power through creating spaces for visibility, connection, self- and community-care. F4tS accomplishes its mission by: supporting the development of place-based networks across New York state; offering leadership development through training, education, and retreats, with a focus on racial healing, ecological justice, and equitable food systems; and providing support for increased connectivity along the food value chain.
Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA)
Established in 1955, ANCA has grown in size, reach, and impact to become a trusted leader and collaborative partner for community members who are working to build a strong, resilient, and equitable economy in the Adirondack North Country.
ANCA is an independent, nonprofit corporation with a transformational approach to building prosperity across northern New York. Using innovative strategies for food systems, clean energy, small businesses, equity, and inclusion, ANCA delivers targeted interventions that create and sustain wealth and value in local communities.
Center for Environmental transformation (CFET)
CFET is an environmental justice organization with an urban farm in Camden, NJ. CFET’s mission is to empower our community through education, collaboration, and advocacy to ensure a thriving future with clean air, clean water, and healthy food.
Urban Health Collaborative
TUHC strives to improve overall health outcomes for Central and North Jersey communities. Our vision is to help urban communities learn new skills and teach them how to use them in their daily lives, to better preserve their mental and physical health, to prevent mental illness chronic disease, and comorbidities, and to learn how to better empathize with people in their everyday lives regardless of race, gender, and identity. The Urban Health Collaborative prides itself on helping youth tap into their potential and helping them achieve excellence in all facets of life.
At The Urban Health Collaborative (TUHC) one of the primary goals is to ensure the health and well-being of the community, including mental health and wellness. By working in collaboration with state, regional, and local partners, we can help bridge the gap between healthcare and education, helping to lessen the burden of health disparities in minority populations living in Urban communities.
Clean and Healthy
Clean+Healthy serves environmental justice communities in Albany, New York, and works to build a just and healthy world where toxic chemicals are simply unthinkable.
Asbury Park Environmental Justice Alliance
The Asbury Park Environmental Justice Alliance is a coalition of organizations and individuals promoting access of all people to the natural and built environment in Asbury Park. Historically segregated, our mission is to provide opportunities for leadership that ensures environmental health and justice throughout the city, in neighborhoods, and on the waterfront.
