Mission

REC is a grassroots, non-profit organization located in Worcester , Massachusetts . Founded in 1971, REC has been dedicated to building strong, just, healthy communities and improving the quality of life in Worcester for 32 years. We accomplish our mission by:

• Coordinating programs that bring community members together while addressing urban environmental problems.
• Empowering neighborhood residents to take on environmental leadership roles in their communities.
• Providing events and forums for environmental education and networking to Worcester residents.
• Advocating at the local and state levels for environmentally and socially sound decisions regarding issues such as open space, solid waste disposal, waterways, air pollution, and clean energy.

Membership

Our members are at the heart of what we do. To learn more about membership go to the membership page.

Get involved!

If you are interested in getting involved in our work, visit the Internship/Volunteer pages of this website.

Key Accomplishments

• Training over 50 teenagers to be environmental leaders from 2003 to the present through the YouthGROW summer program (Youth Growing and Raising Organics in Worcester ). 
• Providing over 10,000 pounds of fresh, organic vegetables to local food pantries and families in need through the YouthGROW program from 2003 to the present.
• Organizing neighborhood activists to transform close to 30 inner-city spaces from abandoned, trashed lots into safe, public community gardens from 1995 to the present. 
• Organizing over 500 neighborhood residents annually to participate in Earth Day Cleanups from 1991 to the present.  Through the Cleanups, more than 60 tons of trash is removed each year from Worcester ’s inner-city lots and parks. 
• Spearheading the Worcester Lead Action Collaborative, a coalition of dozens of public and private partners working together to eliminate childhood lead poisoning in Worcester , which has one of the highest rates in the state.
• Developing a Safer Cleaning workshop model that informs janitors on the health and environmental dangers of using toxic products for cleaning – and offers safer alternatives.  To date, over 130 janitors have been trained as part of this effort.
• Working with Worcester City Council through our Clean Energy program to pass a “20 by 2010” Clean Energy Resolution in March 2005, making Worcester the largest city in the country (at the time) to pledge to receive 20% of its municipal energy from renewable sources by 2010.
• Organized local residents to maintain strict mercury air emission standards for solid waste incinerators and passed a ban of the sale of mercury thermometers through Worcester City Council in 2003.
• Coordinating dozens of public forums from 1971 to educate the public about environmental issues and encourage public participation in decision-making.  Forums have been held on issues such as: brownfields, open space, toxics, street trees, water quality, health, transportation, and organic agriculture.