DESCRIPTION:THIS PROJECT AIMS TO USE A COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY APPROACH TO IDENTIFY WANTS AND NEEDS OF LOCAL UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY IN KANSAS CITY, MO THROUGH LITTER CLEAN-UPS, CONSERVING ECOSYSTEMS, WHILE EDUCATING COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON GREEN PRACTICES, PLACING RAIN BARRELS THROUGHOUT HOMES, AND ENGAGING VOLUNTEERS THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND ACTIONS IN LEADING CHANGES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. ACTIVITIES:THE RECIPIENT WILL FIRST COORDINATE WITH PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS FOCUSING ON SERVING AND EMPOWERING KANSAS CITY COMMUNITIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTHY GREEN AND PRODUCTIVE TREES. RECIPIENT WILL PROVIDE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND WILLING WORKERS TO AN INDUSTRY RESPONSIBLE FOR QUALITY MAINTENANCE OF KANSAS CITY'S URBAN FOREST CANOPY WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF IMPROVED MAINTENANCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF KANSAS CITY'S URBAN FOREST CANOPY. THE RECIPIENT WILL EQUIP WORKERS FOR EMPLOYMENT IN AN INDUSTRY THAT HAS DEMAND FOR KNOWLEDGEABLE AND WILLING WORKERS. DEVELOP POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL ATTITUDES IN PARTICIPANTS SUCH AS TO ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF URBAN FORESTS. THE RECIPIENT WILL WORK WITH AT PARTICIPANTS WHO WILL COMPLETE A SIX MONTH COURSE WITH GUEST SPEAKERS WHO ARE EXPERTS IN AREAS SUCH AS GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER RETENTION, AND URBAN FOREST CANOPY. BUILD A VIABLE, REPLICABLE JOB TRAINING MODEL FOR URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS, TO IMPROVE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND TO CREATE A SUCCESSFUL LOCAL 'GREEN JOBS' WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. THE DESIGN WILL FOCUS ON AMENITIES THAT CREATE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND INCREASE RETENTION OF FOREST CANOPY TO REDUCE FLOODING IN THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS. SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT COMPLETION OF THESE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WILL YIELD THE FOLLOWING EXPECTED OUTCOMES: 1. WILL HIGHLY PUBLICIZE PROGRAM AVAILABILITY TO THE TARGET POPULATION SO THAT POTENTIAL BENEFICIARIES ARE REASONABLY INFORMED OF THE PROGRAM. 2. LEARNED ABOUT ARBORICULTURE AS WELL AS UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF TREES. PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN HOW TO LEAD A COMMUNITY PROJECT. 3. WORK DIRECTLY WITH COMMUNITY ON 'RIGHT PLACE' PLANTING OF TREES AND HOW TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH COMMUNITY NAVIGATING ISSUES LIKE POOR AIR QUALITY, HEAT, AND NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY. 4. HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL HABITS AND ROLE THEY CAN PLAY IN THE INTERSECTION OF CARBON EMISSIONS, CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE UTILITY BURDEN. 5. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE EQUIPPED TO CONTINUE PRACTICES THEY LEARNED AS WELL AS SECURE EMPLOYMENT. MANAGING AND EDUCATING AT THREE COMMUNITY RECYCLING CENTERS; ORGANIZING LITTER CLEAN-UPS; PLANTING TREES THROUGH HEARTLAND TREE ALLIANCE; CONSERVING ECOSYSTEMS ON 400 ACRES OF KANSAS CITY WILD LANDS; EDUCATING MORE THAN 400 BUSINESSPEOPLE A YEAR ON 'GREEN' PRACTICES; HELPING TO PLACE 200+ RAIN BARRELS AT HOMES EACH YEAR; ENGAGING MORE THAN 1,800 VOLUNTEERS ANNUALLY THROUGH 100+ ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIONS THROUGHOUT KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, FOCUSING ON LOW LIFE EXPECTANCY ZIP CODES: 64109, 64126, 64127, 64128, 64130, AND 64132 AND LEAST IMPROVEMENT IN LIFE EXPECTANCY ZIP CODES: 64134, 64131, 64117, 64138, 64114, AND 64133 LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF KANSAS CITY, MO.