Green Initiative

For the first ‘Green Initiative’ donation related to our Acushnet solar farm, CVE has decided to donate $11,500 to the Buzzards Bay Coalition. This decision was taken thanks to the help and guidance of its advisory board composed of local stakeholders active in the environmental field and knowledgeable of local issues. The Buzzards Bay Coalition is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the restoration, protection and sustainable use and enjoyment of the Bay. The Coalition works to protect the land and water in Southeast Massachusetts through education, science advocacy and community engagement, which includes ongoing conservation work in the town Acushnet. CVE has decided to donate $11,500 to complete the last fund needed for a $425,000 expansion of the park. It will provide more parking space to host local school groups looking to learn about biological diversity, preserve 1.5 acres of forested area and create a new community garden.
Find out more about our first donation here.

For our donation related to our Russell solar project, CVE has donated $10,500 to Hilltown Community Ambulance Association. This organization was recommended by local advisors including administrators of the town of Russell. Hilltown Community Ambulance Association is a public safety organization dedicated to providing prehospital care to communities in the towns of Blandford, Chester, Huntington, Montgomery, Russell, and Worthington. The organization’s emergency dispatchers are able to give critical, lifesaving instructions thus providing health benefits to local communities. CVE was happy to contribute to the organization’s efforts through a donation to help buy a used ambulance that will improve the organization’s ability to provide crucial help in case of emergency. 

For our donation related to the Westport and Torpedo projects, both located in Southeastern Massachusetts, CVE has donated $10,000 to the Buzzards Bay Coalition. This organization was once again recommended by local advisors for their great track record in conservation, research, education and advocacy, all for the protection of the Buzzards Bay. This time, our donation supported the Snell Creek Conservation Project located in Westport. This project seeks to permanently protect 31 acres of land that contain critical wildlife habitat. The project site is located near a number of environmental justice communities in Westport, Dartmouth and Fall River. BBC provides environmental education programming for children and adults throughout the watershed and would include the property as a site that supports such programming. 

CVE is happy to support an impactful project that will provide both conservation and educational benefits to local communities. 

Greenagers is a nonprofit organization based in South Egremont, MA that provides employment and volunteer opportunities for teens and young adults in the fields of conservation, sustainable farming, and environmental leadership. Through vocational-environmental programs and community engagement, Greenagers prepares youth for success in their education and work. CVE is supporting the organization’s educational program aimed at teaching students aged 5-24 about climate change and the Natural world. This program will benefit local and visiting students in the Berkshires including in towns like New Marlborough and Tolland. Because this organization was recommended by local advisors for the town of New Marlborough and Tolland, CVE has donated $10,500 towards the organization’s mission. This amount included the total budget for the New Marlborough donation as well as $10,000 from the Tolland donation. 

In 2019, CVE started a community partnership with the Westchester Parks Foundation, a non profit organization based in White Plains, NY whose mission is to engage the public to advocate for the preservation, conservation, use, and enjoyment of the 18,000 acres of parks, trails, and open spaces within the Westchester County Parks system. As part of the “Adopt a Park” program, CVE has committed to conduct regular volunteering activities in our adopted park the Lenoir Preserve to enhance and maintain the area for the enjoyment of local communities. In addition to 120 hours of volunteering, CVE contributes a $5,000 annual donation to help the organization fulfil its mission.

The team conducted several times to plant trees, flowers and shrubs in the meadow, butterfly garden and front landscape, and removing invasive species the Preserve to help save native plants. We also used our engineering skills to build a sugar shack that is used by park goers to collect and transform maple syrup, a practice typical to North America and threatened by climate change.

On Thursday September 9^th, CVE North America had the  honor to receive the Community Award from the Westchester Parks Foundation at the “Parks are Essential” Gala. This award recognizes CVE – among other honorees – for being a civically engaged organization, committed to helping others in the community and particularly for our contribution to Lenoir Preserve, a 40-acre park in Westchester County.

The Community Engineering Corps is an alliance of Engineers Without Borders, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the American Water Works Association. It is a nonprofit that provides engineering services to deliver projects in collaboration with community partners in New York.CVE’s operation and maintenance engineer, Victor Zetterberg, has used his engineering skills to help support the organization solar project: The design and construction an off-grid solar plus storage system for the clean electrification of an urban production and educational farm located at Morris Campus High School in Morrisania, NY. The project will serve communities by enhancing access to green space and garden-based education. CVE will provide the solar panels and donate $1,800 to help fund construction of the PV System. You can support the EWB- CEC’s fundraising efforts here.