596 Acres

07/22/2018

People living near the newly greened lots felt better. "We found a significant reduction in the amount of people who were feeling depressed," says South.

The impact was strongest for residents of poorer neighborhoods — they showed at least a 27.5 percent reduction in the prevalence of depression.“

And all the researchers did was clean up the trash and plant some grass and trees! Imagine what a whole garden does!

When researchers cleaned up vacant lots and planted grass and trees in poor neighborhoods in Philadelphia, residents' mental health improved.

07/02/2018

Celebrate remediators.

Living Lots NYC is a clearinghouse of information that New Yorkers can use to find, unlock and protect our shared resources. 596 Acres started with vacant lots and remains committed to helping fill these holes.

06/18/2018

More soon.

05/29/2018

NYC Real Estate Investment Cooperative TONIGHT, 6:30pm at the Central at Grand Army Plaza! WHY: you want... to buy the building your space is in & need more 💰💰💰- to sell a commercial space you own, but want to make sure it will continue to be affordable/serve neighbors 💒 - to contribute to an innovative project to prevent the displacement of small businesses, community spaces, cultural centers, coops, artists, and more across NYC 🎭 🎨 🏪🎳🏒 - to be qualified invest your savings in something that will create a better NYC while it slowly grows 💓 - and more! Hear from folks organizing to stabilize their neighborhoods: .broadway.merchants in & , in and in . We will vet investing there! And together. New and non members welcome!

05/28/2018

ICYMI - victory in the battle to save Eldert Street Garden!

The steadfast members of this community garden showed up to court over and over and over again to fight the shady transfer of the property away from the non-profit that first gave the neighbors permission to gather there.

Last week the judge declared that the sale was void -- the land belongs to the non-profit and the garden is safe! We are so proud to have played a part in helping the gardeners fight this battle!

Full court decision and more info on the whole story is on the lot page: https://livinglotsnyc.org/lot/3034130063/

05/21/2018

"I also have a problem with organizations in urban areas and communities of color that are white-led. You started an organization and you have been there for 10 or 15 years and your mission statement says that one day the people within the community will have leadership. They should have your job right now; why are you still there? I talk about power, and how power is a drug and power over people is a drug and it’s hard to give up. But once you start taking a job in a community, and particularly a community of color, once you are there as the emergency department, you should be thinking about how you are going to transition out." Karen Washington in an interview on food aparthied with Anna Brones for Guernica

Food justice activist Karen Washington wants us to move away from the term ‘food desert’, which doesn’t take into account the systemic racism permeating America’s food system

05/20/2018

Long Island City, Queens - Join Smiling Hogshead Ranch (25-30 Skillman Ave) today, Sunday May 20 from 4:30pm to 6:30pm, for the first Full Membership Meeting of the 2018 season! It is a requirement of active members to attend at least 3 Membership Meetings throughout the growing season, and for patron members to attend 1, so here's your chance to commit to co-stewarding this awesome community farm that neighbors made on vacant public MTA train tracks. Bring a drink or dish to share as we convene and catch up on everything that is already underway in 2018. Connect with all the Ranch happenings as a member or visitor, via their facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/SmilingHogsheadRanch/

Smiling Hogshead Ranch is a Community Urban Farm in Long Island City, Queens NY.

05/20/2018

Coney Island folks! The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in partnership with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), has an opportunity for 501(c) nonproifits, local government and academic/educational orgs to get $15,000 to $100,000 for environmental projects, as part of the Coney Island Creek Environmental Benefit Project Fund (CICF)! Priorities are: water quality improvement and green infrastructure projects; ecological projects; recreational projects; open space projects; waterfront access projects. Seek more info? Applicant Webinar is this Wednesday, May 23 from 2pm to 3pm (register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/ /5811395431937255937) and a in-person workshop is at the NY Aquarium on June 6 from 7pm to 8:30pm (register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/coney-island-creek-environmental-benefit-project-fund-applicant-workshop-tickets-45909088319). Deadline to apply is July 19. All the info here: http://www.nfwf.org/whatwedo/idea/cicf

​The Coney Island Creek Environmental Benefit Project Fund (CICF) is an environmental grant program created by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Funds for the CICF were obtained by DEC pursuant to an Order on Consent with Beach Haven Apartments Associates, LLC, a r...

05/18/2018

Bushwick, Brooklyn - We did it! We saved . Community gardeners, neighbors, and the nonprofit whose land was illegally sold organized with support from our team at , law practice at the community development project (this repost from gardeners' lawyer ), and . Court date after court date, this small groups of neighbors kept showing up to protect a little/huge piece of land in Brooklyn from illegal transfer to investors so they can continue to grow food&community, and it worked. Deed thieves caught, illegal sale voided by Brooklyn Supreme Court judge, and results of persistent neighborhood advocacy one again proven. 🌱🥕🌸🐞

05/18/2018

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn - Join neighbors THIS SATURDAY, May 19 from 2pm to 4pm for Visioning Session: Part 1! Fellow residents are organizing to turn a vacant city-owned building at 86th Street and Gatling Pl into a vibrant community hub that serves local needs and dreams. At the meeting, learn more about pathways to make it a community hub in partnership with the city, and contribute to planning the building's mission and future. All are welcome! Location to be determined--comment if you will need the update, or if you have a nearby spot we can use. Follow and sign up to organize on the lot page here for updates: https://livinglotsnyc.org/lot/3060370102/

05/17/2018

bill - a breath of fresh air for nonprofits! 21 coucilmembers cosponsor this future law right, introd by , that will make sure places of community service aren't at unnecessary risk of being foreclosed on by private for-profit debt collectors--for debt they should not have been charged by the city. It's a no-brainer! Thanks and for joining today. Please join us and colleagues. Tag your councilmember! Tic tax by community-based research students at to share results of research and advocate for change.

@ New York, New York