2021’s Martin Luther King Day of Service will be on January 18, 2021. To reduce the spread of COVID-19, we are encouraging our members to donate to ACE Mentor Program of Greater Philadelphia’s Park In A Truck initiative.
ACE Team 10, run by WRT Design, has chosen to collaborate with the Park in a Truck initiative which was started by Thomas Jefferson University. This initiative assists communities in transforming underutilized spaces into activated, healthy green spaces. This will be a great opportunity for ACE students to become advocates in their own neighborhoods while learning about the design and construction industries.
This year’s goal is to raise $10,000, which will fund the materials for the park with excess funds allocated to continued maintenance and upkeep.
Mentors and students have identified a viable site located on the Houseman Recreation Center in Councilwoman Cherelle Parker’s District, will perform research, and work through the design process from initial concept through construction. The project anticipates carrying out final presentations and build-days (contingent upon COVID-19 regulations) in the spring/summer of 2021.
Park in a Truck Mission:
- SELECT Neighborhoods choose what they want in their park
- LOAD All of the essentials are loaded onto a truck
- DELIVER The components are delivered to the park site
- BUILD Community volunteers build their park together
In an effort to still support the community and also support youth interested in careers in our industry, we will be collecting donations that will help fund the student’s project materials. ACE Team 10 is currently working with Councilwoman Parker’s team and the Houseman Rec Center to identify the needs of the community and ways to best support the park they will be revitalizing there. Once it is safe to do so, ACE Team 10 will identify a build day and will loop us all in, should anyone be interested in volunteering time. We’ve asked Councilwoman to join us when that date is determined if her schedule allows. Funds raised above the materials cost will be split between ACE Mentor Program and Houseman Rec Center (to continue maintenance of the park!).
