Staff Stories about Community Revitalization
In their own words, staff from EPA's Office of Community Revitalization share their stories from working with communities and managing community programs on EPA's Perspectives blog.
Reconnecting Communities, Building a Thriving Future
Author: Elina Bravve
Publication Date: January 14, 2025
Summary: In her post, Reconnecting Communities, Building a Thriving Future, Elina highlights the history of transportation in her hometown of Rochester, New York. Her own history in Rochester is part of why she's proud to be leading Rethinking Highways for Healthy Communities — a pilot program in EPA’s Office of Community Revitalization — to support communities rethinking relationships between highways, economic development, and urban design in their neighborhoods.
Learn more about the program: Rethinking Highways for Healthy Communities
Activating the Building Blocks of Sustainability
Author: Chip Gurkin
Publication Date: July 1, 2024
Summary: One thing Chip learned through his work is that communities love celebrating what makes them unique. We love helping communities use their identity and assets to build healthy, environmentally friendly towns. Chip's post, Activating the Building Blocks of Sustainability, describes how we help communities turn their greatest assets into actions that matter.
Learn more about the program: Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities
For Local Communities, the Sky Is the Limit
Author: John Foster
Publication Date: April 18, 2024
Summary: The Local Foods, Local Places' community-driven approach allows local creative minds to envision innovative paths to overcome the complex legacies of social and environmental problems and inequities. John's post, For Local Communities, the Sky is the Limit, highlights how the program provides technical assistance to communities seeking support as they develop local food systems while boosting downtown or neighborhood revitalization efforts.
Learn more about the program: Local Foods, Local Places
Creating Places Where We Love to Live
Author: John Thomas
Publication Date: January 22, 2024
Summary: When we pay attention to designing and building safe, walkable streets, we create neighborhoods that add to the quality of life and economic vitality of cities and towns; most importantly, we create places where people want to be. John shares his perspective on seeing first-hand the benefits of walkable communities on quality of life, public health and the environment in his blog, Creating Places Where We Love to Live.
Learn more about the program: Greening America's Communities
How Community-Led Change Is Helping Rural Places and People Thrive
Author: Steph Bertaina
Publication Date: November 30, 2023
Summary: Steph grew up in rural Delaware and feels deeply rooted in the experience of living in a small town. That's why it's been so meaningful to her to support rural communities and small towns to leverage growing interest in outdoor recreation so they can revitalize their main streets, diversify their economies and steward their natural resources. Learn more in her post, How Community-Led Change is Helping Rural Places and People Thrive.
Learn more about the program: Recreation Economy for Rural Communities