The Friends of Burlington Island was awarded funding to support an adventure in learning titled, “Where Does Trash Go in the Streets of a River Town?”  Friends’ Trustee, Erica Shabert, a teacher and local Girl Scout leader, will utilize SWEP funding to identify, recruit, and support young women, 8th grade and older, who would most benefit from this experience.

During this intense, two-day excursion, participants will discover the science of water quality monitoring utilizing the island's 97- acre freshwater lake. They will learn to kayak, participate in a shoreline cleanup, hike the existing trails and witness many aspects of nature along the way.  This will be a first for many of the girls who have never been on the lake or to the island.  The Grants Committee is confident that the girls will come away with a renewed respect for the environment.

Get Fresh Daily (GFD) cultivates community wellbeing by integrating plant-based living experiences, farm fresh produce, and culturally empowering wellness education. GFD programs are based in West Philadelphia where the garden serves as a community connection in a neighborhood that has been deeply impacted by drug and alcohol use, gun violence and systemic racism; yet the neighborhood remains cohesive and home to multigenerational families.

GFD will utilize SWEP funding to support the launch of its “Growing + Glowing in the Garden After School Program.” This new program is an extension to their current Growing + Glowing Spring Camp for Girls where girls learn the basics of camping, engage in mindfulness experiences and acquire the skills to plant and tend a garden, all in preparation for the upcoming season. Funds will directly support staff fees and supplies for the after-school program.

West Mount Airy Neighbors (WMAN) is a member-supported, nonprofit civic organization that will use much-needed SWEP funding to reclaim and restore land at the Carpenter Lane Train Station.

Adjacent to the regional rail line, this area has been turned over to WMAN’s stewardship. They plan to utilize the land to foster community engagement, education, biodiversity, and sustainable agro-ecology practices and will work with local schools/students, as well as other non-profit partners, to support and foster ecological literacy in the West Mt. Airy community.