FOMP Program Overview
The programs of FOMP are the operational core of our mission towards stewardship, sustainability, community building, and advocacy to preserve Mosholu Parkland and the Bedford Park and Norwood neighborhoods. We offer a range of programs around Mosholu Parkland and what it represents to the community. Most of the programs are free to the community with only a few that have a value-based fee. Most importantly, all outcomes of the programming are for the whole community and their benefit.
Our programming addresses environmental justice. Mosholu Parkway is a busy commuter road serving thousands of cars daily. Different pollutants along with the parkway increase risk of harm to people who live and work nearby. Traffic pollution causes asthma attacks in children and may cause a wide range of other effects including the onset of childhood asthma, impaired lung function, premature death, and death from cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular morbidity. Dementia risk is associated with those living closer to the road. (“Living near highways and air pollution,” 2021)
Exponential housing development in our community challenges our ability to maintain and protect air and water quality, and the local government’s ability to finance and maintain infrastructure including schools, utilities, street networks, and police and fire protection. Our schools in the area are overpopulated, affecting the quality of education and our Mosholu library is too small for our current population. The infrastructure growth happening in Bedford Park and Norwood is removing more opportunities for residents to connect with nature, grow gardens, grow food, and more importantly, live a more sustainable life, especially residing in apartments where concrete is the environment.
Real environmental justice refers to redistributing decision-making power back to vulnerable communities that are systemically impacted by environmental racism, cultural differences, and low-income neighborhoods.
Our program encompasses 4 areas to help with its mission; education, health, community strengthening, cultural engagement, youth development, and the arts. All of these 4 areas are woven within each of the FOMP programs.
1) SYEP Program
encompasses all 4 areas; fulfills all sectors of our mission. FOMP’s goal is to hire youths from the community and help strengthen connections between the youth, their academics, nature, and themselves.
2) Edible Gardening and Sustainability Program
encompasses all 4 areas; fulfills all sectors of our mission. FOMP’s goal is to work with the community on all levels toward the many levels of sustainability.
3) Playground Ambassador Program
encompasses all 4 areas; fulfills all sectors of our mission. FOMPs goal is to recruit ambassadors for each of the playgrounds we care for to help with the program’s goals of uniting people of all generations. cultures and strengthening the community.
4) MOM (Murals on Mosholu)
encompasses all 4 areas, and fulfills sectors of our mission. The goal is to come together to celebrate and build community while supporting working artists, and beautifying the neighborhood.
5) Solo Volunteer Program
encompasses all 4 areas and fulfills sectors of our mission. Provides benefits to both mental and physical health; increases self-confidence; boosts self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction, and combats depression.