Representatives of Groundwork USA heard from representatives of Fall River and New Bedford human service organizations at a meeting held on May 20, 2013 at White's Restaurant in Westport. Groundwork trusts are non-profit organizations established across the country that work to foster and awaken the potential of declining neighborhoods by improving their physical environment and helping them gain a renewed sense of place, opportunity, and pride. Fall River and New Bedford Mass in Motion coordinators Julianne Kelly and Pauline Hamel introduced the project as a way to develop brown fields into paths, trails, parks and recreation, or usable land in both cities into parks and other community resources using youth volunteers and others.A tour for Groundwork USA staffers Kate O'Brien and Doug Evans of the National Park Service began at Britland Park to show latest improvements and hear about plans for the Quequechan River Rail Trail and included a stop at the new City tree farm.. Click here and here to see photos of earlier Groundwork planning meetings. Click here to see photos of a meeting in Fall River with representatives of Groundwork Lawrence organized two years ago by Fall River Mass In Motion coordinator Julianne Kelly. To learn more, contact Fall River coordinator Julie Kelly at 508-324-2405 or New Bedford coordinator Pauline Hamel at 508-380-7775. (Bottom row photos courtesy of Julie Kelly)

(Top row, left) Trustees of Reservations Education Coordinator Linton Harrington signs in with Southeastern Environmental Education Alliance (SEEAL) Administrative Assistant Megan Boyle at White's Restaurant. (Top row, center and right) SEEAL Director Jennifer Marshall Grantham welcomes the group following an afternoon tour of sites in New Bedford. (Row two) Mass in Motion coordinators Julianne Kelly and Pauline Hamel speak before introducing Fall River Mayor William Flanagan and New Bedford Mayor John Mitchell. (Row three) Mayor Mitchell listens as Doug Evans of the National Park Service and Kate O'Brien of Groundwork USA describe their program. (Row four) Fall River Assistant City Planner Jeff Little, City Grantwriter Jane Dibiasio, City Community Maintainence Director Kenneth Pacheco, Doug Evans, Kate O'Brien and volunteer planner Al Lima start their tour with Julie Kelly at Britland Park. (Bottom row, left and center) SANA member and tree steward Lindsay Hetzler meets with the group at new-planted City tree farm. (Bottom row, right) Groundwork Southcoast Working Group members Colleen Dawicki of the Urban Initiative, Doug Evans, Pauline Hamel, Megan Boyle, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park Director Jen Nersessian, and Jen Marshall Grantham.finish the two day evaluation and site visit at LePage's Restaurant,