Hope Project Outreach Efforts Get Boost from Grants

The project works with young adults to help them find alternatives to gang membership.

Generous grants from two local organizations will jump-start the community outreach efforts of the Hope Project, an initiative that seeks to steer young adults away from gang-related activity. The Weaver Foundation and the Greensboro Grasshoppers will provide $300,000 each during the next three years, for a total grant amount of $600,000.

Using existing community agencies and resources, the Hope Project works with young adults to help them find alternatives to gang membership. With the assistance of some 40 agencies and more than 60 individuals, the Hope Project offers a variety of services to youth who are drawn toward gangs and illegal activities.

Hope Project Coordinator Darryl Kosciak notes that the project has worked with nearly 30 young adults and their families. “We have done this all with a part-time focus,” Kosciak said. “Now, with the help of these grants, we can expand our efforts with a full-time outreach staff that will allow us to help even more young people in our community.”

City Lifts Mandatory Water Restrictions

Residents are encouraged to continue water conservation efforts.

On April 11, the City of Greensboro ended mandatory water restrictions, due to improving water supply conditions. Water restrictions moved from Mandatory Stage IIA to Voluntary Stage I.

Purchases of water from other cities and water pumped from the Haw River have played a significant role in reducing the demand on our reservoirs. The City will continue to purchase water to help meet the summer water demand and slow the decline of our lake levels in the hopes of avoiding or delaying mandatory water restrictions this summer and fall.

Water Resources Director Allan Williams encourages residents to continue to conserve since the entire southeast is still in a drought. “The rains we received are not nearly enough to make up for the ongoing dry spell. If we all just use only the water that we need, we can preserve our water supplies which will be critical if April and May rainfalls are below normal.” 

City Receives $1 Million EPA Grant

The money will be used to clean up contaminated sites in southeast Greensboro.

The City of Greensboro will receive $1 million from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help revitalize former industrial and commercial sites in southern and eastern Greensboro, turning them from problem properties to productive community use.

The grant will be used to remove petroleum and hazardous substances from more than 500 contaminated sites. These “brownfield” sites must be cleaned up before they are suitable for redevelopment. The sites then have the potential for decreased health risks, the creation of new jobs, new housing, higher property tax values, and safer communities as specific benefits. 

Questions or comments about this newsletter should be addressed to: Elaine Tricoli, Interim Communications Manager, 373-2421 or email.