Many Helping Hands 365 Organizes Free Earth Day Program of Environmental Justice, Citizen Science, and Community Service

Many Helping Hands 365 Organizes Free Earth Day Program of Environmental Justice, Citizen Science, and Community Service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE : THIS EVENT IS NOW CLOSED

Many Helping Hands 365 Organizes Free Earth Day Program of Environmental Justice, Citizen Science, and Community Service

CAMBRIDGE—April 1, 2021 Building on a history of 11 consecutive Cambridge MLK Days of Service (now one of the largest service events in New England), Many Helping Hands 365 is excited to offer a free program for all ages of volunteering, learning, citizen science, and civic engagement to coincide with Earth Day. The debut program for the Earth Day Celebration will begin on April 17 and run until the end of the month. 

The program is wide-ranging with a commitment to highlighting the work of a diverse set of local grassroots and nonprofit leaders engaged in environmental justice, biodiversity, climate action, and sustainability. It includes offerings created by Many Helping Hands 365 as well as programs created by local environmental organizations. From park and river clean-ups to zoom panels with climate experts, to counting herring and early morning bird walks, to an online read-aloud for families, the Many Helping Hands 365 Earth Day Celebration offers something for everyone. 

“The environmental challenges we face need everyone’s helping hands,” says Tony Clark of My Brother’s Keeper Cambridge, one MHH365’s Earth Day partners. “For too long pollution has affected some neighborhoods more than others—climate change affects that same population in a disproportionate way. The impact can be seen in higher rates of asthma, adverse maternal health outcomes, and other health inequities. Working toward environmental justice means working for social justice. And we need to work together to make change happen.”

“By becoming educated about climate issues and committing to personal change you are influencing your network about sustainability. The domino of learning means that some who will want to engage in community-wide action or even speak out for policy around climate issues engaging political leaders at the state level,” added Leslie Bliss of the Many Helping Hands 365 team. Lori Lander, the organization’s founder agrees. “Each person has a role to play when it comes to lending a helping hand and MMH365 Earth Day Celebration is one way we can inspire our volunteers 365 days of the year.”“One way to serve is through citizen science,” said Mari Badger, another organizer from Many Helping Hands 365. “Environmental work can often mean a lot of data work and if you can count, you can contribute to important research.”

Clark added, “We also want people to be able to experience some of Cambridge’s green space and see what’s there in new ways. In a city, access to nature isn’t always easy, and communities of color have less access to green space on average. But wildness is good and firsthand experiences aren’t just fun—they create greater awareness and more engagement in environmental justice.” 

Registration is required for most events and spaces for all in-person events are strictly limited. In keeping with MA Covid restrictions, all in-person events will require masks and social distancing. You can register for events in advance on the MHH365 website.

New events will be added regularly and announced via social media or by email for those who have signed up. 

Key partners in this celebration include My Brother’s Keeper Cambridge, YWCA of Cambridge, Green Cambridge, A Better Future Project, All In Energy, Cambridge Mothers Out Front, Mystic River Watershed Association, Charles River Conservancy, Conservation Law Foundation, and the Cambridge Public Library

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