park champions
Park Champions are important on-the-ground advocates for Pittsburgh's wonderful park places. As a non-profit organization, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has limited resources and staffing to be in every neighborhood and every park. Park Champions are critical to rally the awareness and support needed to ensure that all Pittsburghers have access to vibrant parks.
Park Champions are connectors. As a trusted source of information for their friends and neighbors, they have the power to inspire communities to not only care about parks, but to connect them with those who can affect change, such as local officials and politicians.
how to be a park champion
PARK CHAMPIONS PLEDGE TO:
- Commit to at least one year of service
- Attend a mandatory training on the Park Champions program
- Support the parks through active engagement with friends, family, local elected officials, media, community members, and anyone who benefits from a strong park system
- Report monthly on Park Champion activities
PARKS CONSERVANCY STAFF WILL ENGAGE PARK CHAMPIONS THROUGH:
- Mandatory training
- Bi-monthly emails with information about upcoming events, calls to action, exclusive Park Champions events
- Monthly meetings
- Individual quarterly check-ins
- Opportunities for ongoing training such as:
- Educational training on specific park political or civic issues
- Communications training on the best ways to tell the park system story
park champion clean ups JOIN THE PARK CHAMPION CLEAN UP EFFORT AT LOCAL PARKS:
Parks and green spaces have meant so much to so many throughout the pandemic.
Parks have been here for us during these unprecedented times and now it's time for us to give back to them.
Please consider giving back to one of Pittsburgh's many parks through a unique volunteer clean up effort. Not only are you helping to care for the parks, but you also have the chance to explore a new park or trail at the same time!
Volunteers will focus on litter picking and debris removal.
Volunteers can pick their own park, day, and time!
Volunteers do not need to be part of the larger Park Champions network to participate.
Share photos from your clean up effort by emailing ehutton@pittsburghparks.org, or by tagging us on social media #PGHParkChampion @PittsburghParks
Please reach out to Erin with any questions at etobin@pittsburghparks.org
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is responding to COVID-19 concerns by following guidelines and precautions, Prior to volunteering in the parks please read our entire COVID-19 safety waiver. Then, select 'Yes' on the volunteer clean up form to indicate that you have read and agree to comply with our COVID-19 policies and terms.
Media Release: I hereby give permission to the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy to use any image, audio or video of me in any of their publicity materials. Then, select 'Yes' on the volunteer clean up form I agree to comply with the Parks Conservancy's Media Release guidelines, which can be found here.
WE ARE ALL IN. ARE YOU?
Parks do not exist without people. We restore parks for your joy and well-being. Pittsburghers need spaces where fathers can play catch with their sons, couples reconnect, family’s picnic. Parks, in return, do more than we realize. They clean the air, filter stormwater, lower stress…provide a natural sanctuary in forests of steel and glass surrounded by rivers of asphalt. Like anything alive, if neglected a park will suffer. And ultimately perish.
We believe in the power of parks. We are all in. Are you?