Oh the Dirt!: April 2025
Oh the Dirt!
April 2025
Welcome to Oh the Dirt!, Groundwork Southcoast (GWSC)’s email newsletter highlighting our environmental and community transformation work in south coast Massachusetts.
A Letter from Executive Director, Maura Valdez
| Dear Groundwork Southcoast community, partners, supporters, and friends, I am thrilled to share some personal news: my family is growing! I will be taking a parental leave to welcome a new addition to our family, and baby is due any day! While I am away, I have complete confidence in our dedicated team to continue driving our work forward. During my absence, our dedicated GWSC Board and the talented Neptune Coaching firm will increase their involvement to support the team and ensure smooth and seamless operations. Our team is enthusiastic and well-prepared for this opportunity for professional growth, so you can expect the same level of commitment and vibrant community engagement that defines Groundwork Southcoast. We are poised to continue our work seamlessly, remaining focused on investing in community leadership and enhancing our environment. This is possible because of the strong foundation we have built together, and the incredible support we receive from you—our community, partners, and friends. Thank you for your ongoing support and understanding. I look forward to returning to hear all about the impact we have continued to make together. Until then, I am leaving you in very capable hands. Warm regards,  Maura Valdez Executive Director, Groundwork Southcoast (GWSC) |
WANTED: Seedling Donations: GWSC is looking for donations of seedlings or plants for the 2025 growing season! Seedlings are planted and cared for by our youth/young adults in our community gardens, and once mature, produce is donated for free to our community at Pick Your Own Produce days. Your donation helps to cultivate fresh food – all while building skills among local youth/young adults.
We’re looking for: vegetable (tomatoes, beans, squash, etc.), herb, fruit, flower seedlings or plants (seeds also accepted)
How you can help:
– Contact us to donate
– Help us grow something great: make a monetary donation securely on our website.
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Harmony Gardens Bed Adoption: April 19th: Want to get involved in your community and meet your neighbors? Community gardening at GWSC’s Harmony Gardens location is back for its second official growing season, and it’s time to claim your garden beds!
To sign up, stop by Harmony Gardens THIS Saturday, April 19th from 11 AM – 1 PM (Harmony Community Garden, 185 Weld St, New Bedford, MA). Beds fill up fast, but don’t worry—there’s a waitlist for anyone who misses out.
Attending, or want to spread the word? RSVP to the Facebook event! Questions? Reach out to Maria at: [email protected]
20 Air Quality Monitors Installed Throughout New Bedford! A huge shoutout to Amir, our Green Fellow, and Cristian, a Green Corps member, for successfully installing brand new solar systems on air quality monitors across the City this winter in collaboration with the City of New Bedford. These monitors track the air quality across the City, which allows us to identify trends, address pollution sources, and work toward a healthier, more sustainable community. Stay tuned for updates as we continue to monitor and advocate for clean air!
If you’d like to view air quality data being collected by these monitors real-time, check out the NB Resilient online dashboard.
Riverside Park Community Garden Bed Adoption: Early this month, GWSC held our garden bed adoption event for our Riverside Park community garden! We enjoyed the afternoon together with Green Team, GWSC staff, and community members: catching up, getting to know each other, reserving garden beds, and starting to prepare for the upcoming growing season.
Weren’t able to make it last Saturday, but interested in growing at Riverside Park (Coffin Ave, New Bedford)? A limited number of raised beds at Riverside Park community garden are still available for adoption (for free!).
Contact Maria at [email protected]
FREE Air Quality Monitors: GWSC is offering 4 free PurpleAir monitors to individuals willing to keep them outside at their New Bedford or Fall River home or business. This is a great opportunity to passively volunteer from home while supporting local community and climate health and resilience. These monitors would allow you to track real-time health data, and help GWSC track pollution levels and take action for cleaner air.
Interested? Contact Eric at [email protected]
Free Trees for New Bedford Residents!
Thanks to a partnership between the City of New Bedford, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Groundwork Southcoast, if you’re a New Bedford resident, you may qualify for a free tree–planted right in your yard by a trained crew! With over 50 species to choose from, these trees don’t just beautify your neighborhood, they also help cool your home and improve air quality.
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Unwavering Commitment:
As we look to the future, GWSC is focused on remaining committed to our growing workforce programs and our existing staff. We are strategically working with consultants and coaches to maximize our long-term organizational efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability.
Our commitment to our youth/young adults and our community is unwavering, and we thank you for your continued support.
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Calendar
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- New Bedford Tree Groundbreaking Ceremony & Planting Day: Sat, May 17th, 2025 at 12 PM (Dias Field, New Bedford). More details TBA
- Fall River Volunteer Day: Sat, May 31st, 2025 from 11 AM – 1 PM (Cook Pond, Henry St, Fall River, MA). All ages welcome!
- Open Garden Hours at Riverside Park: returning this summer
- Pick Your Own Produce: returning this summer
- Harvest Bash: Save the date! – Thurs, November 13th, 2025 – GWSC’s annual community celebration & fundraiser; open to all. More details TBA
View all of our upcoming events & our community calendar on Facebook.
Our Work
Groundwork Southcoast (GWSC)‘s work is concentrated in what we call Resilience Districts on the south coast of Massachusetts, areas where we strategically invest in community-driven transformation to increase community and climate resilience. Our public sites in our Resilience Districts are as follows:
North End Resilience District (NERD):
- GWSC Office & Indoor Community Garden: 90 Hatch St, Suite 208, New Bedford
- Riverside Park Community Garden: accessible via Coffin Ave, New Bedford
- Harmony Gardens Community Garden: 185 Weld St, New Bedford
Fall River Resilience District:
- Cook Pond: Henry St, Fall River
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Groundwork Southcoast (GWSC) addresses Fall River and New Bedford’s structural, economic, environmental, and food system disparities and climate resilience needs through our youth leadership development employment programs and community engagement. A national initiative with local roots, Groundwork Southcoast was founded in 2017 to be a part of the transformation of two Massachusetts Gateway cities in the southeastern part of the state by working at the intersection of the environment, equity, and civic engagement.
Groundwork Southcoast is a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit organization. Groundwork Southcoast (GWSC)︱groundworksouthcoast.org︱(774) 813-0008︱90 Hatch St, Suite 208, New Bedford, MA 02745︱ [email protected]︱Donate
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