History

In 2008, a group of dedicated Newark community leaders from The Friends of Jesse Allen Park, The Friends of Nat Turner Park, Mildred Helms Park Resurrection Committee, and Ujimaa Garden came together to found United Parks As One with assistance from The Trust for Public Land. They saw a need for a community-led, collaborative effort that could foster information sharing among the organizations and help them advocate more effectively for open space in the city. Since then, United Parks As One has become a leader in the areas of park stewardship, programming, and community engagement in Newark. The staff support and financial assistance the organization received from The Trust for Public Land enabled it to build a solid foundation more quickly than it could have on its own. The Trust for Public Land provided funding for field trips that promoted skill building; grants for health fairs, fun days, cleanups, and other community events at the parks; sponsorship for the Annual Celebration; connections to key partners from the government, nonprofit, and business sectors; and valuable staff time that supported the organization’s growth and development. The assistance from The Trust for Public Land also helped position United Parks As One to influence key initiatives in Newark. United Parks As One played an important role in educating the community about the importance of legislation for the creation of Newark’s Open Space Trust Fund.