Representatives of Groundwork USA from Providence and Lawrence had the opportunity to present their programs to representatives of Fall River and New Bedford human service organizations at a meeting held on April 27, 2011 at the Fall River Boys and Girls Club on Bedford Street. Groundwork  trusts are non-profit organizations established across the country that work to foster and awaken the potential of declining neighborhoods by improving their physical environment and helping them gain a renewed sense of place, opportunity, and pride. Fall River and New Bedford Mass in Motion coordinators Julianne Kelly and Pauline Hamel introduced the project as a way to develop brown fields into paths, trails, parks and recreation, or usable land in both cities into parks and other community resources using youth volunteers and others. Click here to see photos of an earlier meeting in New Bedford. Click here to see photos of a meeting in Fall River with representatives of Groundwork Lawrence organized earlier this year by Fall River Mass In Motion coordinator Julianne Kelly. For learn more about this inquiry, contact New Bedford coordinator Pauline Hamel at 508-380-7775 or Fall River coordinator Julie Kelly at 508-324-2405.  

(Top row, left and center) Fall River Mass in Motion coordinator Julianne Kelly welcomes participants to the meeting to consider starting a Groundwork Southcoast project. (Top row, right) Peter McCarthy welcomes the group to the Thomas Chew Memorial Boys and Girls Club. (Middle row, left) Neighborhood Outreach Coordinator Perry Long introduces himself. (Middle row, right) Renee Dufour, representing New Bedford Mayor Lang, introduces herself. (Bottom row, left) Groundwork Providence executive director Joe Vaughan describes how the program works. (Bottom row, right) Groundwork Lawrence executive director Heather McMann talks about some of the Groundwork project in Lawrence, MA.