In the heart of Denver’s urban center, Platte Farm Open Space exists as an oasis of nature, movement, and togetherness. Walking trails wind through the park, and life abounds in the native grasses and plants. Just a few years ago, this picturesque public space in the Globeville Valley looked very different. Platte Farm Open Space…

For Sadot Castañeda, Groundwork Denver’s Energy Programs Director, promoting sustainability in Denver isn’t just a job—it’s a way of life. Sadot joined Groundwork Denver as a Green Team member in 2010 through a high school internship. He biked many miles around the city with the Green Team, tending to community gardens, and learning how to…

If you hear Groundwork Denver staff talking about the JEDI Committee, they’re not talking about a fan club for a famous sci-fi series. At Groundwork Denver, the JEDI Committee works to address issues of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion within the organization and beyond. A work in progress Groundwork Denver staff first identified the need…

On a sweltering summer day in the Globeville/Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods, shade can be hard to find. For residents of the area, the lack of trees is not just a matter of aesthetics—it deeply affects quality of life.  Tree canopy provides residents with more shade when a heatwave settles on the Front Range, but it also plays…

Individuals living in areas with higher rates of air pollution are at a greater risk of dying from COVID-19, according to a new nationwide study.[1] The study, conducted by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, collected data from over 3,000 counties nationwide, comparing long-term exposure to particulate air pollution to rates…

Groundwork Denver is filled to the brim with staff who are just as passionate as they are committed to fulfilling the mission of the nonprofit organization. Take Sandra “Sandy” Douglas for example, who has served as the ParkRx Program Manager for GWD since the summer of 2016. ParkRx, also referred to as Park prescription, is…

The following is a story provided by Brendan Teck, an intern holding the position of Volunteer Outreach and Communications Assistant at Groundwork Denver during the summer of 2018. Brendan Teck was selected to intern with Groundwork Denver through The Denver Foundation’s Nonprofit Internship Program.   Today, we often think of young people as individuals who…

It was a hot sunny day, temperatures rising above the 90’s, and though conditions like these would normally prevent people from going outside, that was not the case for Leonor Perez. At Mestizo-Curtis Park, located in the Five Points neighborhood as Denver’s oldest park, Leonor found herself taking lead in bettering her health with the…

Join a citizen science study in the Globeville and Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods! While in this science study group, you’ll learn about the air that you and your family breathe and discover ways to take action to protect your health while exploring how to decrease your exposure to air pollution. Participants need to be at least 18 years…