Dear Friends,

Thank you for visiting GrowNYC. 2010 marks 4 decades of GrowNYC working alongside residents like you to create a healthy and more sustainable New York City for generations to come.

We work with communities block by block, person by person. On any given day in the five boroughs, residents now have access to 51 Greenmarkets where they can purchase fresh, healthy, local produce and more from small farmers who keep 30,000 acres in production.

Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers have improved their recycling know-how, and taken advantage of alternative disposal options for textiles, cfl lightbulbs and electronics as a result of the Offi ce of Recycling Outreach and Education.

Through our Farmers Market Food Stamp initiative, we have made New York City the national leader in connecting food stamp users with farm fresh produce. And by doing so, were delivering the most nutritious food to the people and communities who need it most.

Residents can garden, play, and relax in 60 green spaces and play lots created, and hundreds more assisted by Open Space Greening staff and volunteers.

The eyes of more than 34,000 young people have been opened to environmental issues facing our cities and given the tools and opportunities to help find solutions, including planting 17,000 trees to protect our water supply and remove carbon dioxide from the air.

As a non-profit, our work is only possible because of the generous donations of our supporters. If you want more information about our wonderful programs or would like to support these efforts, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Best wishes for a greener NYC,

Marcel Van Ooyen
Executive Director

About Marcel.

Marcel Van Ooyen earned degrees in Social Ecology from the University of California Irvine and from the Seattle University School of Law specializing in Environmental Law. After graduating from law school, Mr. Van Ooyen worked for the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council in Washington State, where he conducted the environmental review of proposed power plants. Upon moving to New York City, Mr. Van Ooyen worked for the New York City Council as the Chief of Staff to City Council Member Gifford Miller and then as Legislative Director for the City Council. As Legislative Director, he wrote and ensured the adoption of over 30 environmental laws, including the city’s landmark green buildings legislation, lead bill, clean air codes, environmental purchasing laws, and many more. Since joining GrowNYC, he has developed new and innovative programs like Learn it, Grow it, Eat it and Youthmarkets, which help teens improve their eating habits through education, gardening, community outreach and running urban farm stands in their neighborhoods.