Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency Inc. receives $20,000 from Keep Mohawk Valley Beautiful

Utica, NY — Keep Mohawk Valley Beautiful, a local affiliate of Keep America Beautiful and committee of Mohawk Valley Economic Development District, Inc., (MVEDD) has been chosen to receive a $20,000 Dr. MLK Jr. Community Improvement Grant. These monies will be used to implement green and play-space improvements at the Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency (MVCAA) Cornerstone Head Start building at 1100 Miller Street in Utica.

With the help of a local landscaping company, a design for the improvements is being drafted. The space, which is currently all grass, will have several flowering plants to attract pollinators, a sensory bridge, tree cookies as part of a walking path, wind chimes and benches. This project will provide a space for children attending the Head Start preschool to enjoy the outdoors, learn about native plants, and take a reprieve from the hectic nature of drop-off and pick-up times. This location is adjacent to Utica’s MLK Jr. Dreams Park, which qualified this site for the Keep America Beautiful grant.

“We are so excited to upgrade this space into a place for curiosity and play,” said Michelle Kelley, Assistant Director of Child Development at MVCAA. “This project, made possible through Keep America Beautiful, will have a lasting positive impact on the neighborhood, students at Head Start, and their families,” she continued.

The project is slated for completion before the start of the 2025 school year. Keep Mohawk Valley Beautiful and MVCAA will host a press conference at the site upon completion to showcase the new landscaping improvements.

“Keep Mohawk Valley Beautiful is very pleased to have worked with MVCAA on this application and to have received the subsequent award from Keep America Beautiful,” says Anthony Marris, Community Planner at MVEDD. “We look forward to children and families being able to enjoy this playful respite for years to come, and to continue to work with MVCAA on other projects,” he continued.

For more information on Keep Mohawk Valley Beautiful, email us at info@mvedd.org, visit www.mvedd.org/kmvb or call (315) 866-4671.