Introducing the Environmental Justice Alliance

Dear RTEC Friends & Family,

We’re excited to finally introduce to you our non-profit, the Environmental Justice Alliance, and share with you the work we’ve been doing among the community this past year. 

Created by RTEC’s leadership team in 2019, the Environmental Justice Alliance (EJA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving environmental justice among disadvantaged and marginalized communities in the DC Metropolitan area.

What is Environmental Justice?

To us, environmental justice is all about access, protection, and equal opportunity no matter your race, income, or situation. It’s having access to environmental positives like well-tended parks, healthy trees, and clean water; protection from environmental negatives like hazardous waste, dangerous trees, and toxins in the air and water; and equal opportunity to participate in environmental decision-making.

Over the past year, our non-profit has created three programs to help promote environmental justice in the DC Metro area. 

• At Ease Military Family Assistance Program: providing free tree care to military families who are experiencing the deployment of at least one head of household.
• JustEarth Community Improvement Program: total grounds improvement in disadvantaged or marginalized communities (including tree care, hazardous tree removal, stormwater management, and grounds beautification.) 
• Grow! Community Garden Program: installation of organic vegetable gardens in disadvantaged or marginalized communities.

Our Current Project: The Patrick Henry Family Shelter

Although every project is important, our current project at the Patrick Henry Family Shelter is near and dear to our hearts. Last year, we removed overhead hazards from their community grounds, including over the playground, making it safer for the families living there. This spring we are gearing up to install an organic vegetable garden on their property and teach the residents how to grow their own food. 

However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Patrick Henry Family Shelter and it’s residents have been struggling.

With kids out of school for the rest of the year, the shelter is now faced with providing extra meals (children were provided free breakfast and lunch while in school) in a time where food, especially fresh produce, is becoming difficult to find. As for the shelter’s residents, the uncertainty of our current situation is enough to make anyone feel anxious, unsettled, and scared. Now imagine what it’s like to not have a home or enough food in a time like this. In addition, the residents are in need of entertainment to raise their spirits and take their minds off of the current situation. 

It’s clear, the Patrick Henry Family Shelter needs our help now more than ever. In response, we’re ramping up our garden installation plans. This garden will provide the shelter with healthy food during a time where produce is hard to find, a learning experience for shelter residents of all ages, and a fun way for these families to get their minds off of the current health crisis and their situations. 

Here’s How You Can Make a Difference!

No amount is too small, even donating a dollar can help bring a little joy, education, and healthy food to a family struggling at the Patrick Henry Family Shelter.

Our goal for this project is to collect $3,500 in donations and have our Amazon wishlist cleared. And with your help, we think we can achieve this goal! 

*PLEASE NOTE: When making a donation, click on the Payment Amount and adjust the payment from the current project goal amount ($3,500) to the amount you would like to contribute. 

In addition, we will take used items, volunteers, and check donations made out to Environmental Justice Alliance.  EJA is a 501(c)(3) organization and will provide receipts for all donations. 

But that’s not all…

If you have questions or feedback, would like more information, or want to get involved in a way that’s not listed above, please let us know!