The NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program at Atwood Community Gardens is
Selected as the 2011 Lowe’s Heroes Award Recipient
The Lowe’s Heroes award is given to non-profits by Lowe’s Hardware. Each year Lowe's
Heroes volunteer program helps to improve the communities where Lowe's employees
work and live.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) – August 5, 2011 – The NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur
Program's West End Atlanta garden site known as Atwood Community Gardens has
been selected as the 2011 Lowe’s Heroes award recipient and volunteer site. The
granting of this award will allow NEXT Steps to bypass 3-6 months of clearing the
property and advance straight into operations. It will also allow us to focus on raising
funds to secure two mini-buses to pick-up kids and seniors for our after-school and
health & wellness programs. Atwood Community Gardens is located at 779 Atwood
Street SW in the Beecher-Donnelly neighborhood.
The Lowe’s Heroes award is given to non-profits by Lowe’s Hardware. Each year Lowe's
Heroes volunteer program helps to improve the communities where Lowe's employees
work and live. Together, each store team identifies a community improvement project that
will make a difference in their community, such as working with Habitat for Humanity® or
a local public school. While projects vary by location, Lowe's Heroes volunteers share a
common goal to make their communities better places to live.
About Atwood Community Gardens
A considerable amount of research has been conducted over the past 30 years to
conclude that the socio-economic deficiencies negatively impacting the West End
Community require active and positive self-regulation by its residents. Therefore, NEXT
Steps and our key program partners -- the Richard Basil Foundation Jump Start Initiative
and the SMART Academy Center of Excellence -- designed programs and cultivated
partnerships in sports training, mentoring, tutoring, S.T.E.M. (science, technology,
engineering and mathematics) and social entrepreneurism to provide a step-by-step
holistic approach towards reversing and/or eliminating the negative barriers towards
prosperity and an improved quality of life.
A key learning program for Atwood Community Gardens will center around historic focal
points and references to contributions of African American innovators and inventors in
agriculture. By converting the 3.25 acre site into a S.T.E.M. outdoor garden and training
facility, Atwood Community Gardens will provide real world collaborations and networking
opportunities with students, mentors, professionals in S.T.E.M., local business owners,
government officials, tech and science labs, the Internet and college institutions. It will
also aid in generating community services that promote economic development. The
Gardens’ activities will be designed to help students meet the objectives identified in the
Atlanta Public School’s Career Development Critical Components in S.T.E.M. and
Business Management and Administration and bridge inter-generational communication
gaps.
We are appreciative, grateful and humbled by the acknowledgement of the Lowe’s team.
Thank you Lowe’s, for helping NEXT Steps take our vision for Atwood Community
Gardens a giant step forward!
For more information about the NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program and the
activities planned for Atwood Community Gardens, please view our attached presentation
then visit our website at http://www.nextstepsyep.org. Donations to the NEXT Steps Youth
Entrepreneur Program can be made via PayPal to http://bit.ly/gCGbNV or mailed to NEXT
Steps YEP, 1890-A Briarcliff Circle NE, Atlanta, GA 30329.
# # #
NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program equips at-risk, low-income students with quality
economic and community development skills through social entrepreneurism and
creates activities that include business plan development, special event management, S.
T.E.M.-based investigative research and discovery, community service and environmental
stewardship within the urban agriculture industry.
--- end ---
Selected as the 2011 Lowe’s Heroes Award Recipient
The Lowe’s Heroes award is given to non-profits by Lowe’s Hardware. Each year Lowe's
Heroes volunteer program helps to improve the communities where Lowe's employees
work and live.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) – August 5, 2011 – The NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur
Program's West End Atlanta garden site known as Atwood Community Gardens has
been selected as the 2011 Lowe’s Heroes award recipient and volunteer site. The
granting of this award will allow NEXT Steps to bypass 3-6 months of clearing the
property and advance straight into operations. It will also allow us to focus on raising
funds to secure two mini-buses to pick-up kids and seniors for our after-school and
health & wellness programs. Atwood Community Gardens is located at 779 Atwood
Street SW in the Beecher-Donnelly neighborhood.
The Lowe’s Heroes award is given to non-profits by Lowe’s Hardware. Each year Lowe's
Heroes volunteer program helps to improve the communities where Lowe's employees
work and live. Together, each store team identifies a community improvement project that
will make a difference in their community, such as working with Habitat for Humanity® or
a local public school. While projects vary by location, Lowe's Heroes volunteers share a
common goal to make their communities better places to live.
About Atwood Community Gardens
A considerable amount of research has been conducted over the past 30 years to
conclude that the socio-economic deficiencies negatively impacting the West End
Community require active and positive self-regulation by its residents. Therefore, NEXT
Steps and our key program partners -- the Richard Basil Foundation Jump Start Initiative
and the SMART Academy Center of Excellence -- designed programs and cultivated
partnerships in sports training, mentoring, tutoring, S.T.E.M. (science, technology,
engineering and mathematics) and social entrepreneurism to provide a step-by-step
holistic approach towards reversing and/or eliminating the negative barriers towards
prosperity and an improved quality of life.
A key learning program for Atwood Community Gardens will center around historic focal
points and references to contributions of African American innovators and inventors in
agriculture. By converting the 3.25 acre site into a S.T.E.M. outdoor garden and training
facility, Atwood Community Gardens will provide real world collaborations and networking
opportunities with students, mentors, professionals in S.T.E.M., local business owners,
government officials, tech and science labs, the Internet and college institutions. It will
also aid in generating community services that promote economic development. The
Gardens’ activities will be designed to help students meet the objectives identified in the
Atlanta Public School’s Career Development Critical Components in S.T.E.M. and
Business Management and Administration and bridge inter-generational communication
gaps.
We are appreciative, grateful and humbled by the acknowledgement of the Lowe’s team.
Thank you Lowe’s, for helping NEXT Steps take our vision for Atwood Community
Gardens a giant step forward!
For more information about the NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program and the
activities planned for Atwood Community Gardens, please view our attached presentation
then visit our website at http://www.nextstepsyep.org. Donations to the NEXT Steps Youth
Entrepreneur Program can be made via PayPal to http://bit.ly/gCGbNV or mailed to NEXT
Steps YEP, 1890-A Briarcliff Circle NE, Atlanta, GA 30329.
# # #
NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program equips at-risk, low-income students with quality
economic and community development skills through social entrepreneurism and
creates activities that include business plan development, special event management, S.
T.E.M.-based investigative research and discovery, community service and environmental
stewardship within the urban agriculture industry.
--- end ---
| PRESS RELEASE CONTACT: Dana Jewel Harris Executive Director NSYEP 678.570.0398 djharris@nextstepsyep.org |
DIARY & UPCOMING EVENTS
August 5
Lowe's contacts NSYEP to announce
Atwood Community Gardens as 2011
Lowe's Heroes site selection.
August 10-24
Lowe's store managers conduct site
visits to conduct needs assessment with
contractors.
August 25-26
Grounds clearing.
September 10
Hands On Atlanta Day
Volunteers will help clear the grounds,
clean the garage, paint the well and
mulch the walking trails at Atwood. To
register as a volunteer, visit Hands On
Atlanta.
September 10-Oct 8
Atwood Harvest Festival & Garden Art
Contest (Registration)
Atwood will register local artists to display
their creative arts in an effort to beautify
Atwood for its grand opening on October
22, 2011. For more info, click here.
October 18-20
Lowe's Heroes Makeover
The big event!!! Over 34 Metro Atlanta
Lowe's Store Managers and 150 of their
employees will makeover Atwood
Community Gardens. To volunteer,
please register at VolunteerMatch.org or
send an email to
volunteer@nextstepsyep.org.
October 22
Atwood Community Gardens Harvest
Festival & Garden Art Contest
***GRAND OPENING***
October 29
Sankofa Ashe: Birth of the Harvest
Storytelling & Costume Parade
Families will enjoy hearing stories about
the mythical Sankofa Bird. Event includes
decorating Sankofa eggs, planting new
seeds, and marching in the costume
parade through the garden.
August 5
Lowe's contacts NSYEP to announce
Atwood Community Gardens as 2011
Lowe's Heroes site selection.
August 10-24
Lowe's store managers conduct site
visits to conduct needs assessment with
contractors.
August 25-26
Grounds clearing.
September 10
Hands On Atlanta Day
Volunteers will help clear the grounds,
clean the garage, paint the well and
mulch the walking trails at Atwood. To
register as a volunteer, visit Hands On
Atlanta.
September 10-Oct 8
Atwood Harvest Festival & Garden Art
Contest (Registration)
Atwood will register local artists to display
their creative arts in an effort to beautify
Atwood for its grand opening on October
22, 2011. For more info, click here.
October 18-20
Lowe's Heroes Makeover
The big event!!! Over 34 Metro Atlanta
Lowe's Store Managers and 150 of their
employees will makeover Atwood
Community Gardens. To volunteer,
please register at VolunteerMatch.org or
send an email to
volunteer@nextstepsyep.org.
October 22
Atwood Community Gardens Harvest
Festival & Garden Art Contest
***GRAND OPENING***
October 29
Sankofa Ashe: Birth of the Harvest
Storytelling & Costume Parade
Families will enjoy hearing stories about
the mythical Sankofa Bird. Event includes
decorating Sankofa eggs, planting new
seeds, and marching in the costume
parade through the garden.
ATWOOD COMMUNITY GARDENS
779 Atwood Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30310
GRAND OPENING!!!!
OCTOBER 22, 2011
OCTOBER 22, 2011
NSYEP is a 501c3 tax exempt non-profit organization and
A service program of the Richard Basil Foundation, the SMART Academy and the
National Black Men's Health Network
A service program of the Richard Basil Foundation, the SMART Academy and the
National Black Men's Health Network
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Join our growing group of
supporters that share your love
of outdoor activities!
supporters that share your love
of outdoor activities!
Watch the SMART Academy's latest
weather balloon launch!
weather balloon launch!
| Email: djharris@nextstepsyep.org 678-570-00398 ph / 678-829-1490 fax www.nextstepsyep.org |
| YOUR CALL TO ACTION! |
| DONATE NOW |
| VOLUNTEER TODAY |
| FUND A PROJECT |
| JOIN US NOW |
| CONTACT NSYEP |
| *** GRAND OPENING SPECIAL *** ALL TICKETS & TOURS $5 (For a limited time only.) |
| ***NOTE: To receive Grand Opening rates, please select the "Kids" ticket option to purchase ALL tickets and tours. Tour groups are still required to register. |
Buy Your Tickets Now!
Click on the VolunteerMatch and Hands On Atlanta logos to
visit our volunteer registration pages.
To schedule a site tour, click here.
To become a Friend of Atwood Garden Member, click here.
visit our volunteer registration pages.
To schedule a site tour, click here.
To become a Friend of Atwood Garden Member, click here.
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