NCWCYouthCouncil

NCWCYouthCouncil Together, we build community, develop skills, and lead the fight for environmental justice.

The National Clean Water Collective (NCWC) Youth Council empowers leaders ages 14 to 25 to create real change through clean water advocacy, education, and action.

08/22/2026

Maybe finding a permanent home for Nourish Ozone was never supposed to be just about finding land. 🌱

Maybe this journey was also supposed to expose a bigger problem.

For almost nine weeks, we have searched Ozone Park and South Ozone Park, Queens, for a permanent home for the Nourish Ozone Community Garden & Cultural Learning Space, a project that is already funded, growing fresh produce and bringing young people and volunteers together.

What we discovered raised a bigger question:

👉🏽 In a city as large and resourceful as New York, why is it so difficult to connect community driven projects with spaces that could be serving communities?

👉🏽 There are underused spaces with potential. But figuring out who owns them, who controls them and who has the authority to say YES can become a process of its own.

Meanwhile, the growing season does not wait. Neither can a community where 27.1% of residents experience food insecurity and there are roughly eight bodegas for every one supermarket.

🌱 Nourish Ozone is more than a place to grow fresh produce. We are building a place where families can access healthy food, children can learn, seniors can share knowledge, young people can lead, culture can be celebrated and neighbors can connect.

Food is medicine. Green space is an investment in community health.

Imagine more underused spaces across NYC becoming places that feed people, educate young people and strengthen neighborhoods.

We have made calls, had conversations and followed up. We are grateful for those who have offered to help.

Now we need movement.

Mayor Mamdani has shown New Yorkers how much can happen when there is urgency and a willingness to act. We are asking NYC and our decision makers to bring that same urgency here.

The project is funded. The community is ready.

❓️Who is ready to help us put down roots? Know of a green space in Ozone Park or South Ozone Park? Connect us.

VOLUNTEER • DONATE • PARTNER • SHARE

Please share this video. The person who can open the right door may already be in your network.

Because hope shouldn't have to grow in buckets.

đź”— Link in bio

What if something is in our water, but we’re not nationally monitoring for it? 💧Microplastics are showing up in our envi...
08/21/2026

What if something is in our water, but we’re not nationally monitoring for it? 💧

Microplastics are showing up in our environment and drinking water. But the EPA’s proposed UCMR 6 does not include microplastics among the contaminants public water systems would be required to monitor.

And people are pushing back. Seven governors petitioned the EPA to include microplastics in the program.

For us as young people, this matters. If we’re not looking for something, how do we know how widespread it is?

❓️Should microplastics be included in nationwide drinking water monitoring?

Tell us what you think. 👇

Growing seedlings kinda chic. 🌱💧But behind all this growing is something much bigger.Black women leading. Young people l...
08/20/2026

Growing seedlings kinda chic. 🌱💧

But behind all this growing is something much bigger.

Black women leading. Young people learning. Neighbors showing up. Fresh food being grown for a Queens community where 27.1% of residents experience food insecurity.

And can you believe we’re doing all of this while STILL searching for a permanent home for Nourish Ozone?

Right now, we’re growing wherever and however we can. We’re planting in buckets, sharing what we know, putting in the work and showing what this project can become.

Now imagine what we could do with a permanent space of our own. A place where families can grow fresh food, young people can learn, and the community can come together. 🌱

đź“Ł Ozone Park and South Ozone Park, we need your help. If you know of a green space that could become the permanent home of Nourish Ozone, we want to hear from you.

We’ve already shown what’s possible. Now help us find a permanent home for Nourish Ozone.

The outbreak is over. So why are we still talking about it? đź’¦Because 92 people got sick. Seven people lost their lives. ...
08/20/2026

The outbreak is over. So why are we still talking about it? đź’¦

Because 92 people got sick. Seven people lost their lives. And understanding how something like this happens matters even after the headlines disappear.

The Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side is no longer an active threat, but it left behind an important lesson about water, public health, and staying informed.

Sometimes we don’t think about the systems around us until something goes wrong. We want more young people asking questions, paying attention, and understanding how water can impact the health of an entire community.

So we’re bringing this story back.

Swipe through to see what happened, what was done, and what you should know about Legionnaires’ disease. ➡️

Because an outbreak ending shouldn’t mean the conversation ends too.

08/19/2026

What can grow when young people have the space to make it happen? 🌱

Nourish Ozone Community Garden and Cultural Learning Space is one of the projects we’re building through the , led by our team lead, Mark.

Our team is growing fresh food, learning about food access, working alongside volunteers and community members, and helping create a space where families can grow, learn, connect, and share.

We’re also working to secure a permanent home for Nourish Ozone in Ozone Park or South Ozone Park, Queens, so what we’ve started can take root in the community it was created to serve.

Watch as Mark introduces Nourish Ozone and shares what our team is working toward.

👉 Want to help us grow? Join the team. Volunteer. Partner. Donate. Share.

đź”— Tap the link in our bio to get involved.

Hey Hydration Nation! đźš°đź’¦Imagine finding out there was something harmful in your drinking water, but the information was ...
08/18/2026

Hey Hydration Nation! đźš°đź’¦

Imagine finding out there was something harmful in your drinking water, but the information was available somewhere you never thought to look.

Would you think it was your responsibility to find it? Or would you expect someone to tell you?

Water quality information can be available without people actually knowing about it. And when it comes to the water we drink every day, that raises an important question.

âť“ If something harmful is found in your drinking water, should you have to look for that information, or should you be told?

We want to hear what you think. 👇

Knowing what’s in our water shouldn’t be an afterthought.

08/17/2026

Water stories are community stories. And we’re learning how to tell them. 🌎💦

Journalists for Clean Water is one of the projects we’re working on through the , led by our Youth Council Director, Julia.

Our team is researching water issues happening in communities, talking with residents and experts, asking questions, following important developments, and turning what we learn into stories that help keep people informed.

Along the way, we’re building our skills as young researchers, writers, interviewers, and advocates while helping more people understand the water issues affecting communities across the country.
And we have a lot more coming.

Watch as Julia introduces Journalists for Clean Water and shares what her team is working toward.

👉 Want to help us grow the project? Join the team. Volunteer. Partner. Donate. Share.

đź”— Tap the link in our bio to get involved.

You may have seen the news about the recent Cyclospora outbreak, but did you catch the connection to water? 🥬💦Earlier th...
08/17/2026

You may have seen the news about the recent Cyclospora outbreak, but did you catch the connection to water? 🥬💦

Earlier this month, a Cyclospora outbreak linked to contaminated produce raised concerns about food safety. But there’s another part of the story worth paying attention to, water quality.

Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that can spread when food or water becomes contaminated with human waste. That means the water used to grow and handle our food matters too.

Water quality isn’t only about what comes out of our faucets. It can affect the food on our plates and ultimately, our health.

We wanted to bring this back to your attention because sometimes a story leaves the headlines before everyone gets the information they need.

And young people can help change that. Share what you learn with your friends and family. Pay attention to produce recalls and water advisories. Being informed helps us look out for each other.

đź’¬ Did you know about the connection between Cyclospora, produce, and contaminated water?

Share this with your friends and family. They may have missed it too. 👇

08/14/2026

We use water every day. Understanding it can change how we see our communities, our environment, and our role in protecting it. 💦🌎

That’s the idea behind the Know Your Water Initiative, one of the projects we’ve been working on through the .

Led by our team member Nikki, the project is helping young people better understand the water we depend on, the challenges affecting communities, and the solutions shaping our water future.

Because the more we know, the better equipped we are to ask questions, make informed choices, and take action.

And Nikki and her team have some exciting things in the works.

Watch as Nikki introduces the Know Your Water Initiative and shares what her team hopes to accomplish.

👉 Want to help move it forward? Join the team. Volunteer. Partner. Donate. Share.

đź”— Tap the link in our bio to get involved.

08/13/2026

The new school year is almost here. 🎒💧

As students return to classrooms across NYC, safe drinking water should be one thing they never have to question.

That’s why our Youth Council is taking on the Poison to Prison Pipeline.

Led by Director Joanne Lin, the project explores lead exposure, aging infrastructure, remediation in NYC schools, and a bigger question: What happens when environmental conditions affect a young person before they’ve had a fair chance to thrive?

Lead exposure can affect learning, attention, behavior, and development. So this is bigger than a water fountain. It’s about health, education, environment, equity, and our young people’s future.

Watch as Joanne introduces the project and shares why this work matters now.

đź“Ł Help move it forward. Join the team. Volunteer. Partner. Donate. Share.

đź”— Tap the link in our bio to get involved.

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