Bronx River Alliance Inc

In 2024, alliance's education program continued the year round environmental enrichment and leadership for students (eels) paid internship that engages high school students in college-credit bearing stem internships focused on the bronx river. Eels conduct hands-on participatory research projects while being mentored by experts in various stem fields. We also continued bobcats (building on better careers and trainings), a summer internship program in partnership with local partner fannie lou hamer high school. We continue to offer low-cost field trips for schools and groups.

In 2024, the alliance hosted free community events featuring educational, stewardship, and recreational opportunities to connect with nature. Over 1,100 people paddled on nyc's only freshwater river as part of our free, low-cost, and chartered paddles. From over 1500 people volunteered with us including: april through october, we hosted weekly gardening and trash pickup events. Overall impact, including many larger events such as earth day, city of water day, soundview restoration day, and more - totaled over 5,000 participants. Our community-based advocacy teams continued to engage and coordinate with government entities to advance goals in support of our mission.

In 2024, the alliance worked to keep the river clean, reduce pollution, restore wildlife habitats, creating and activating many waterfront parks and greenway connections. We led outdoor, experiential learning trips with children, drawing thousands of local community members to learn and explore by walking, paddling, cycling, and gardening. The bronx river foodway - nyc's only edible and medicinal foraging garden in a public park - was highlighted by a dedicated coordinator and resident artist who shared natural remedies, foraging techniques, and the many benefits of the plants grown.the foodway program and team activated community members to engage around traditional knowledge and cultural practices, healthy food production and preparation, herbal remedies, integrating nature into arts and crafts, and strengthening community resilience. The foodway team, an alliance advisory body made up of local individuals and organizations, guides community activities in the foodway and sets priorities for future activities. Our greenway program continued to advocate for the final missing links to the 23 miles of greenway the alliance has advocated for, built, and maintained. A significant victory this year is the one mile elevated section of greenway that began construction in mount vernon, providing safe cycling and pedestrian connections under highways and over ramps and new access to green space for ej communities in westchester.in late 2024 the alliance was selected to receive a $1,000,000 grant from the epa for the bronx climate justice task force. This project engages communities across the bronx, listening to ways climate is already impacting the area, informing planned infrastructure projects and working closely with eight local organizations and institutions to advocate for ways to improve climate resiliency for local communities. "