Next with Kyle Clark, Supporting Good Green Work

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A nonprofit fundraiser supporting

The Park People
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The Park People is improving our city's climate resilience by planting trees and providing good, green jobs.

$20,322

raised by 756 people

$25,000 goal

HELP US RAISE $25,000 FOR TREES & GOOD GREEN JOBS IN DENVER.

Your contributions will help The Park People plant and care for trees while providing workforce opportunities for our community.

Rising temperatures threaten the health and livability of our local neighborhoods. Trees and their shade provide our communities with some protection against this threat. But not everyone has equal access to trees and the benefits they provide.

There is a strong correlation between socioeconomic status and tree canopy cover in Denver neighborhoods. These systemic issues can lead to temperature differences of over 10 degrees, causing predominantly low-income BIPOC neighborhoods to have higher instances of heat-related illness and death, among higher pollution levels, greater water losses, and less greenery for social-emotional wellbeing.

The Park People works with communities to plant trees and improve parks for a healthy, resilient future. Our vision is that every resident in every Denver neighborhood has access to the benefits and beauty of trees, including economic benefits.

However, there are not enough urban tree care workers to to plant and care for all the trees we need. There is a significant shortage of skilled workers even though the tree sector offers good, family-supporting career pathways. There are not enough resources available to help folks facing barriers to employment, so transitioning into these better paying, more stable careers is not accessible. There is an estimated current shortage of 200 employees in Denver alone, which is predicted to grow as trees receive increased recognition as a vital tool in mitigating and combating climate change.

The Park People is excited to announce our launch of Treeforce in August 2022. Treeforce is a quality pre-apprenticeship program that provides career readiness training in green jobs and connects employer partners to qualified, pre-screened applicants. This program helps fill the worker shortage in the tree care community throughout the greater Denver area, while connecting community members facing barriers to employment and meaningful career paths in urban forestry.


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