Allied World and CitizensNYC Empowering New Yorkers Together
By Iman Moosa
Citizens Committee for New York City (CitizensNYC), a long-standing micro-granting organization rooted in showing the resilience of New Yorkers, has had a long-time partnership with Allied World to mobilize volunteers and create educational and nutritional school programs. Allied World has provided people power and financial resources to CitizensNYC for more than a decade.
Allied World employees gardening at M'finda kalunga garden on the Lower East Side
Allied World employees gardening at M'finda kalunga garden on the Lower East Side
Allied World collaborates with CitizensNYC to provide opportunities for students to learn about their environment through hands-on experiences. This increases their knowledge around healthier diets, gardening skills, and shows them easy ways to implement sustainable practices in their everyday lives.
In 2013, CitizensNYC honored Allied World and Scott Carmilani at the annual New Yorkers for New York Gala for their unwavering support provided after Superstorm Sandy. Allied World gave 26 grassroots groups direct support and delivered funding for living classrooms in Title I schools.
Allied World did not stop there. More recently Allied World employees joined CitizensNYC to implement Public School Green Team Programs, and now 54 schools are teaching their students to care for the environment and learn the harmful impact of waste. At M.S 131, a middle school in Chinatown, a compost system has been created to teach students the importance of soil quality and reduce cafeteria food waste.
At Edward Bleeker (J.H.S. 185) a junior high school in Flushing, a gardening club has been started to revitalize the barren land around the school. This new space is used by several school departments for multiple needs including for students who need therapeutic kinesthetic activity, the science department for biology lessons, and the art and English departments for creative inspiration. This Green Team Program has allowed students to appreciate nature and care for their environment in sustainable ways.
Volunteers from Allied World at LaGuardia Corner Gardens
Volunteers from Allied World at LaGuardia Corner Gardens
Allied World’s Living Classroom Projects have transformed the way city kids have been able to look at their environment. Providing them with a new perspective on how daily items are used, and how to reuse them to their full purpose. Examples include the kids at High School of Fashion Industries composting natural fiber-based cloth scraps to be the steppingstone of a rooftop garden for the school., and the Museum School (P.S. 333) creating an incentive program, awarding the students to reduce the waste the most with reusable water bottles and tote bag prizes. To take it one step further, they have restored their herb and vegetable garden to donate the fresh food grown to students and the community.
Allied World’s efforts have gone further than just nutrition and environmental programs, they have also encouraged students to grow in their technical skills. In Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, at The Connie Lekas School (P.S. 811), a repair shop has been created to fix broken bicycles and recycle parts. This project has encouraged students to cycle and learn how basic tools function.
The employees and financial resources from Allied World have paved a new way for so many New Yorkers. CitizensNYC is proud to be in partnership with Allied World and looks forward to many years of inspirational work to come.