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The Urban Tree Connection is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that engages children and adults from some of Philadelphia's most disadvantaged neighborhoods in community-based, urban-greening projects.
We believe that community-based urban greening is a great way for residents of all ages to bring about positive change in their neighborhood. In addition to beautifying the neighborhood, urban greening projects also provide a variety of economic, environmental, health-related and social benefits.
— FUNDRAISER 2012 —
What's new at UTC
Urban Tree Connection Rolls Out It's Brand New Website
Urban Tree Connection launches this new site thanks to Vanguard's Teaming for Technology (T4T) team. Over the past few years, UTC has enjoyed a special relationship with Vanguard whose volunteer support has been an immense help in maintaining our gardens and providing signage for them. Now we owe the launch of our shiny new website to the wizards on Vanguard’s T4T team. We especially want to thank Christina Sollecito, Margaret Fulton, Tara Strobel, Dan Klein and our task master, John Beck for creating the site, and teaching us how to update and maintain it. Many thanks to Vanguard!
UTC’s Neighborhood Foods 2011 Harvest Festival
Urban Tree Connection’s Neighborhood Foods Farm & Food Co-op held its Harvest Festival on Saturday, November 6th, 2011. This year-end celebration was the culmination of a successful growing season for our fledgling community farm enterprise. Over 100 neighbors, supporters, friends, family, volunteers, and partners gathered under the day’s sunny skies with good food and good people to celebrate the advances we’ve made in building our farm, growing bountiful crops, meeting new neighbors and cultivating rewarding relationships. Thanks to everyone for coming out, and thanks to our dedicated volunteers for running the show and making the day such a success!
UTC’s Teens-Go-Green Helps Tend Concourse Lake
UTC’s Teens-Go-Green has been asked by the Philadelphia Chapter of the Garden Clubs of America to help clean up and maintain Concourse Lake on Belmont Avenue in Fairmount Park. Concourse Lake is undergoing a magnificent transformation as part of the Garden Club’s Concourse Lake Restoration Project 2013, to mark the 100th Anniversary of its founding. Teens- Go-Green is honored and eager to take on this landscaping project, and is developing a Parkside Volunteer Corps to help with this huge responsibility.
La Colombe Hires a PCAT / UTC Alum
One of our favorite young farmers has secured a full-time position with La Colombe. This young man has risen from behind the 8-ball, through a training program taught by one of UTC’s staff at PCAT, and part-time employment as a farmer at Urban Tree Connection in a program designed to prepare young adults for the job market. La Colombe saw what we saw in Rohan, and we couldn’t be prouder of him. Our entire staff wishes him the very best of success!
Seniors’ Delivery Route
We are currently working on the formation of a seniors’ produce delivery service to be implemented next season. The route will service senior members of the Haddington community. Learn more about the pilot of this project.
Neighborhood Foods Community Market
On Saturdays, we hold our weekly community farm stand across the street from the Neighborhood Foods farm. Originally, we were the only ones here on Saturdays, but this weekly event has grown into a larger community gathering. Lisa, one of our founders, now sells her beautiful artwork here and community member Gail sells a number of her delicious food dishes. It’s a great space for the community to gather together. Learn more about the Community Market.
Neighborhood Foods - Rainwater Harvest Irrigation System
A lot is happening at our Neighborhood Foods Community Farm! We recently completed the construction of an irrigation system, which will allow us to irrigate our crops with rainwater funneled from the rooftops of neighboring homes. With this addition to our farm we will no longer have to rely on the city for water! This eco-conscious transition is being orchestrated by Engineering graduate students at Drexel University and funded by the McLean Contributionship. For more farm updates, visit our blog.
Community Profiles
The Neighborhood Foods founders group serves as a steering committee that makes strategic decisions as to the future of Neighborhood Foods. They have been meeting regularly since September 2010, making all decisions regarding the organization’s mission and its core values. Currently, they are faced with the challenge of structuring Neighborhood Foods to meet the needs of the community, while still striving for economic independence. They also work on a weekly basis at our neighborhood farmers market, doing everything from harvesting and packaging vegetables to serving customers at our stand. Learn more about the Neighborhood Foods Founders Group.
Philadelphia Business Journal—December, 2010
Skip, Executive Director of Urban Tree Connection, was interviewed for the Philadelphia Business Journal in December, 2010. Read the article and learn more about Skip and UTC.
Documentary Short 
Learn more about Urban Tree Connection with this 4 minute documentary created by Lindsay Mann.
Coming of Age
Listen to Skip talk to WHYY about “Coming of Age” and Urban Tree Connection.
Blog
Visit the Urban Tree Connection and Neighborhood Foods blog for all of the most recent updates about our projects, programs, and produce!
Under New PA Law, Neighbors Control Abandoned Lot
In 2010, Urban Tree Connection became one of the first community groups in Philadelphia to be granted land conservatorship under the Pennsylvania Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship Act.
