March 2024

"I raise up my voice—not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard [...] We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.”

-Malala Yousafzai

Groundwork Lawrence's profound love and appreciation for the environment enables us to envision what brownfield sites can become in Lawrence and across the country. Parks like Dr. Nina Scarito Park and Nunzio DiMarca Park are notable examples of dreams meeting reality. These parks, both of which started as a dream, have now become cherished fixtures of the community, contributing to air purification, and providing much-needed respite from the summer sun with the abundance of trees we have planted. However, without our vision and partnerships with the City of Lawrence and other organizations, these sites would remain unusable and unsafe due to contamination. As previously mentioned in our newsletters, brownfields are contaminated pieces of land that necessitate cleanup before they can be considered safe for use. But not all brownfields can be transformed into open spaces like parks or playgrounds, and careful consideration is given to the future uses of each site. In fact, it is accurate to say that each brownfield site is unique, and evaluating each one requires a tailored approach to examine all aspects of the site. Brownfield redevelopment is not solely about cleaning up contaminated sites; it is also a commitment to community health and wellness. Groundwork Lawrence has a track record of transforming these spaces into usable parks, gardens, and other community-centric areas because we understand the positive impact these parcels of land can have on our community once they are revitalized. 

Recognizing the importance of investing in the community and involving the public sector to understand the constraints of these sites is an important part of our community engagement and outreach work. We have a history of educating and involving residents of Lawrence in our open space work through our public meetings and hearings, the Pa’Lante Resident Task Force, and bi-annual community clean-ups like the Earth Day and Spicket River Cleanup events. GWL believes in making spaces beautiful and accessible to the public, turning community members into stewards of their own homes. Our environmental justice work not only addresses these ecological concerns but also positively impacts community attitudes toward the site, fostering a sense of pride and belonging among residents.  

Currently Groundwork Lawrence has three brownfields' projects in the works, each of which has its own unique possibility for how they can serve city residents. The sites at Tombarello on Marston Street, Bennington Triangle in the Arlington neighborhood, and the Merrimac Paper Mill on S. Canal Street, all offer different opportunities to transform tainted pieces of earth into thriving and healthier spaces in our community. The ongoing efforts at each of these sites underscores the importance of brownfield redevelopment by fostering community pride, environmental stewardship, and the creation of beautiful, usable, and safe public spaces.

For more information about Tombarello and our other brownfield revitalization projects check out our website or reach out to Project Director Brad Buschur.

💡Did You Know?

Dr. Nina Scarito Park is the only park

in Lawrence named after a woman.  

On February 15, 2024, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) announced an important and first ever environmental justice strategy that will support the Commonwealth’s efforts to address the needs of Environmental Justice (EJ) communities. EJ communities are typically considered the most vulnerable due to adverse environmental impacts and industrial pollution that have contributed to disproportionate systemic impacts on low income and underrepresented BIPOC communities in the state.



Lawrence is a prime example of an environmental justice community due to its history as a pre-planned industrial city. Groundwork Lawrence was especially excited to give a statement of support alongside Assistant Majority Leader of the Massachusetts Senate Sal DiDomenico, Dwaign Tyndal, Executive Director of Alternatives for Community and Empowerment (ACE), and Roseann Bongiovanni, Executive Director of GreenRoots. In her statement of support, Executive Director of Groundwork Lawrence, Lesly Melendez had this to say: “The EEA EJ Strategy is a powerful roadmap to improve environmental justice and equity in Massachusetts in many measurable ways. We are excited about its focus on open space improvements, equitable workforce development employment, community engagement, and more. We were hopeful when the Healey-Driscoll Administration elevated environmental justice and equity as priorities of focus under this new strategic plan. With the EEA EJ Strategy we now see the strategic planning that is occurring to create a consistent structure to effectively and measurably advance environmental justice and equity. It is a strong starting point!”

Read the report which was released by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and learn more about our environmental justice work by visiting our website!

Looking For a Meaningful Job? 

Check Out Our Summer Job Listings 

Last month Community Engagement Manager Alejandra Juárez-Díaz teamed up with our community partners at the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center to host a public and virtual meeting to discuss the connections between climate change and public health. It was exciting to Zoom with members of the community of Lawrence, members of the Pa’Lante Resident Task Force, and clinicians all interested and invested in learning more about the intersections of public health and climate change. 

Climate change impacts all life living on this planet and humans can anticipate experiencing a variety of negative factors including severe weather, air pollution, increasing allergens, environmental degradation, water quality impacts and extreme heat. Groundwork Lawrence works hard to mitigate the effects of climate change in our community and provide resources to those already impacted by these issues. Our programs in Fresh Food, Healthy Living, Open Space development and tree planting to name a small few are active and successful measures for combating climate change.

It is not too late to combat these issues in our community and here's how you can help! The Pa’Lante Resident Task Force is currently looking for new members. Check out the job description here for more information or reach out to Alejandra to learn more!

Image Source: CDC

Winter Farmer’s Market Still Going Strong!

Our farmer’s market is a staple all year round offering fresh produce like apples, broccoli and squash to cook up your favorite meals and snacks. Our 2023-2024 Winter Market season began on November 11th and will be held twice a month until May 25th. You can find our winter market in the lobby of the same building as our office -50 Island Street, Entrance B. 

We Accept / Aceptamos  

Cash, Debit, Credit, EBT/SNAP/Food Stamps, HIP, WIC, Senior Coupons, and Groundwork Lawrence coupons.

Changing Systems:

Women’s History Month & International Women’s Day

Our community drives everything we do, and at GWL we have a community of strong, passionate, and intelligent 

womxn leading, planning, teaching,

organizing, and creating in our offices at 50 Island Street. As you read in January, Groundwork Lawrence has been stewarded by strong women throughout our 25-year existence, and to celebrate and observe both Women's History Month and International Women's Day (March 8th) we asked our self-identifying women at GWL to come up with their picks for inspirational works by women for women. Some of the texts inspired our staff in the early years of their lives, while others' noted contemporary works that help them continue to feel inspired, seen, empowered and confident. Check out our Staff Picks below to find inspiration for yourself or a woman in your life!



Check out these books and more at your local public library, purchase them from your favorite bookstore, or from our community partner and local Lawrence bookstore, El Taller Cafe & Bookstore. 

If you would like more resources, please reach out to Dariana for more information, or find us on Instagram and share your favorite reads! 

💡Did You Know?

One way we can #inspireinclusion is by learning and practicing inclusive language. “Womxn,” pronounced similarly to “women '' is an inclusive term to name gender non-conforming individuals, genderqueer folxs, two spirit people, femmes, transgender folxs, and non-binary people. Read more here:Why Womxn?

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