Episcopal Charities

Environment

• Particulate matter-related illnesses cause Californians to miss almost 5 million work days a year, a loss to the state's economy of more than $880 million (EWG)
• In the Bay Area, more than 70 percent of estimated cancer risk from ambient air toxins comes from traffic (CJTC-UC)
• Cities can create a healthier urban environment by controlling stormwater with techniques such as rooftop gardens, native plants and absorbent concrete (NRDC)

In an urban landscape, the connection between a healthy environment and an individual's ability to thrive is quite apparent. Air toxins and particulate matter, water pollution, and contaminated run-off from roads and highways contribute toward an unhealthy and potentially threatening urban environment. The lasting effects from such pollution can range from cancer to asthma to birth defects. Any holistic approach to addressing the root causes of poverty in the San Francisco Bay Area must take into account the effect of the environment on one's ability to succeed. Episcopal Charities' Action Networks wants to ensure a healthy environment for our generation and those to come. Join us in this important work!

Current Project Partners

Produce to the People is a non-profit organization in San Francisco dedicated to aiding the food security and health of our community through garden and food education, the creation of green jobs for youth, and the growth, harvest, and dispersal of organic backyard and community grown produce. They are especially focused on ensuring access to healthy food for underserved and low-income members of our community, and green jobs to youth with barriers to employment.

Youth Homes, Inc., for more than 45 years, has helped severely abused and neglected foster children and adolescents recover from trauma. The Organic Garden and Job Readiness Program teaches the basics of gardening including sustainability and organic horticulture, as well as about the sale of produce to restaurants and farmers’ markets. Participants develop essential employment skills such as communication, leadership, punctuality, and the satisfaction of earning a paycheck.