At the close of 2017, the East Coast Greenway Alliance awarded $5,000 in mini grants to 11 organizations stretching from New England to Florida. The grants support grassroots efforts aimed at increasing the number of people who use the Greenway as a safe, accessible, and fun place to walk, run, and bike, and more. Grantees are undertaking a range of activities from bike repair stations and bike tools to youth programming and restoration work in the wake of Hurricane Irma.
“We are excited to support so many worthwhile partners working in such a range of places, north and south, urban and rural,” says Dennis Markatos-Soriano, executive director. “The work that these organizations do at the hyper-local level to build support and engagement for trails is crucial to the success and growth of the Greenway. We’re excited to follow their projects over the coming year.”
“FreeWalkers is dedicated to getting everyone walking for its many benefits,” says Paul Kiczek, founder and president of the New Jersey-based organization, which is a longtime partner of the East Coast Greenway Alliance and a 2017 grantee. “Our traditional walks are often long and appeal to adults. For the last two years we have held a special event, Stroll & Roll, geared to families walking together. We’ll use this grant to help create more Stroll & Roll events in various communities to promote the concept of the Greenway and how even our small walk is part of a much bigger 3,000-mile vision.”