Groundwork Bridgeport - History of GWB

Groundwork Bridgeport is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to serving the greater Bridgeport area. Since its inception in 1998, Groundwork Bridgeport’s main goals have been to convert blighted areas of the city into gardens, parks, playgrounds, and streetscapes. The organization also strives to develop environmental education, job training, self-sufficiency, and elderly assistance programs as a means of improving the quality of life for all people in Bridgeport. Groundwork Bridgeport’s programs primarily serve and impact populations in Bridgeport that are marginalized or underprivileged. We work with community members and other organizations in order to identify services and programs that can meet the needs of our elderly neighbors, children struggling in an under-funded school system, and neighborhoods affected by crime and blight.

The mission of Groundwork Bridgeport is: “To bring about the sustained regeneration, improvement, and management of the physical environment, by empowering people, businesses, and organizations to promote environmental, economic, and social well-being.”

The first Groundwork Trust was founded in 1982 in England in response to a growing number of abandoned industrial sites and was developed to improve the physical environment of the “urban fringe.” The Groundwork UK network has become a highly successful partnership of public, private, and voluntary sector interests in a coordinated effort to reclaim abandoned, run-down sites as open spaces with an emphasis on recreation, beautification, economic development, and access to the countryside. Groundwork USA, modeled after Groundwork UK, started as a collaborative effort between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Park Service (NPS). Groundwork Bridgeport was one of the original trusts founded in the Groundwork USA Network, which now includes 15 trusts across the nation and 3 more trusts in development. Initial funding for the organization was provided by EPA, NPS, and the City of Bridgeport.

Groundwork Bridgeport has a successful record of bringing together community groups as an integral part of the Bridgeport’s revitalization process. Since 1998, Groundwork Bridgeport has partnered with over 6,400 individuals, 66 community groups, 48 businesses and 63 foundations to reclaim and recreate 65 recreational sites and green spaces. These partnerships include neighborhood groups, private corporations, and city agencies, as well as funding organizations committed to sustainable environmental enhancement. Each project engages hundreds of volunteers, including many youth, to accomplish our goals and to gain understanding by working in cross-cultural and inter-generational teams.

The importance of community pride and responsibility in creating safe, livable neighborhoods is evident with every project Groundwork Bridgeport undertakes. By accomplishing organizational goals through education, environmental awareness, and community service, Groundwork Bridgeport is improving the lives of our residents and the future of our neighborhoods.