We believe that a neighborhood is much bigger than a collection of people living near each other – it is the relationship between individuals and their surroundings, with each neighborhood showcasing its own distinct culture and needs to be defined by the people living, working, and playing there. Our passion, and the mission of the Republic Services Charitable Foundation’s National Neighborhood Promise® program, is to partner with exceptional local nonprofits to create unique opportunities to strengthen our neighborhoods side-by-side with residents and employee volunteers.
Every great city is built on a foundation of strong neighborhoods, and we want to encourage, support and foster community organizations that are strengthening neighborhoods across the country. Launched in 2018, the National Neighborhood Promise program provides funding for neighborhood revitalization and sustainability projects – conducted by local affiliates of our nonprofit partners Rebuilding Together, Habitat for Humanity International, and NeighborWorks America – in communities where Republic Services customers and employees live and work.
For 2022, the Foundation selected 10 community partners that received grants ranging from $125,000 to $250,000 to help build sustainable places and spaces, address food insecurity and provide housing for those in need.
2022 Community Partners
Bracken’s Kitchen – Bracken’s Kitchen provides nutritious meals made from surplus and unused food through their Rescued Food Program at no cost to those with food insecurities in Orange County, Calif. The grant will help Bracken’s increase its capacity to collect and distribute food and expand its reach to better serve these communities.
Rebuilding Together Metro Denver – In partnership with Empowerment, Rebuilding Together Metro Denver will build Empowerment Gardens, within the master community of Greyhound Park. The garden will be utilized by residents and staff of a 50-unit permanent supportive housing apartment building for people experiencing homelessness with a disabling condition or special needs.
Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago – Focused on the Englewood, IL., community, Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago would utilize grant funds to provide critical repairs to Margaret's Village, which provides transitional housing for homeless women, children and families. The funding would ensure that much-needed roof and masonry repairs would be made to the organization's building allowing Margaret’s Village to continue to serve this community.
Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge – Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge in collaboration with Build Baton Rouge, several nonprofit partners, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Recreation District, will help transform a vacant property into a Community EcoPark. This EcoPark will provide additional access to community gathering green spaces increasing climate mitigation in the area through the construction of a community garden, stormwater control features, a pavilion, art installations, and seating.
Newvue Communities – NewVue Communities, in partnership with the city of Fitchburg, MA. is working to revitalize Riverfront Park, a 1.6-acre reclaimed brownfield along the shore of the Nashua River in Fitchburg. This grant will support the construction of a permanent stage for community events at the park and the cleanup of debris along the shore of the river.
Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte – With guidance from community residents and the Hidden Valley Community Reinvestment Plan, Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte will revitalize Tom Hunter Park, the only developed neighborhood park in the community. The park improvements will include a new covered pavilion, walking trail restoration, pollinator garden, and new park benches and picnic tables.
Famicos Foundation – In the Glenville neighborhood of Cleveland, Famicos will support the preservation and restoration of St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church. Originally built in 1911 and a fixture of Cleveland’s Civil Rights Movement, Famicos will stabilize the building, preserving its historic and cultural significance. The building will become a community center, with an event space and office space for community resources.
Mid-Willamette Family YMCA – In a state where fully inclusive and adaptive parks are few and far between, the YMCA in Albany, OR. recognized the absence of accessible recreation for individuals with special needs. YMCA will be creating an all-inclusive playground and community park, including a play structure, pathways, and rubber mulch ground cover made of recycled materials that is accessible to all.
Rebuilding Together Philadelphia – Rebuilding Together Philadelphia will be supporting the Hope in the Heart of Kensington project in collaboration with Impact Services. This grant will fund the installation of an energy-efficient HVAC system to create a community gym and green space for children and veterans in the area to serve as a community hub and rehabilitate seven homes owned by vulnerable seniors in the area.
Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity – Supporting the West Dallas neighborhood, Dallas Area Habitat will complete new home construction and critical repairs to existing homes while revitalizing the community through a large-scale neighborhood clean-up program in the West Dallas area.
To date, the Foundation has partnered with local nonprofits to support nearly 70 neighborhood revitalization efforts. To learn more about our commitment to the neighborhoods we serve, visit RepublicServices.com/giving.
