South Sound Reentry & Environmental Works (SSREW)
Neighbor to Neighbor Fund – Seattle Foundation
Program Title: Trail & Environmental Management Workforce Program (Summer 2026 Pilot)
Request Amount: $7,500
Program Period: June–September 2026
Service Area: South Seattle (4–6 public parks and trail systems)

Executive Summary
South Sound Reentry & Environmental Works (SSREW) requests $7,500 from the Seattle Foundation’s Neighbor to Neighbor Fund to launch a Summer 2026 pilot Trail & Environmental Management Workforce Program. The program will provide paid, transitional employment to 8 formerly incarcerated adults, primarily from BIPOC communities in South Seattle, while delivering visible improvements to under‑maintained public parks and trails.
Participants will work in supervised crews performing trail maintenance, litter and waste management, invasive plant removal, and native planting across 4–6 community‑identified sites. The program directly advances racial and economic equity by addressing two interlinked needs identified by residents and reentry networks: (1) limited access to stable, dignified employment for justice‑impacted adults, and (2) declining safety and environmental quality in neighborhood public spaces.
This pilot is intentionally scoped for feasibility and accountability. SSREW will track paid work hours, site improvements, and participant progress using simple, funder‑appropriate evaluation tools. Grant funds will primarily support participant wages and essential supplies, ensuring that resources flow directly to community members and visible outcomes.

Organizational Background & Capacity
South Sound Reentry & Environmental Works (SSREW) is a peer‑led nonprofit serving system‑impacted individuals—those returning from incarceration, recovering from addiction, or experiencing homelessness—through transitional housing, employment pathways, and community reconnection. The organization is led and staffed by individuals with lived experience, grounding programs in credibility, trust, and cultural relevance.
With an annual budget under $200,000, SSREW operates as a grassroots organization aligned with Neighbor to Neighbor priorities. The organization has successfully placed hundreds of participants into transitional and longer‑term employment, with documented reductions in recidivism and relapse among program participants. Existing partnerships with Seattle Parks & Recreation and South Seattle community organizations support site access, recruitment, and program delivery.

Statement of Need & Equity Context
South Seattle communities experience overlapping inequities related to economic disinvestment, environmental neglect, and disproportionate incarceration rates among Black, Indigenous, immigrant, and low‑income residents. Formerly incarcerated individuals face structural barriers to employment, including gaps in work history, stigma, and limited access to stable opportunities, which perpetuate cycles of poverty and exclusion.
At the same time, many neighborhood parks and trails in South Seattle suffer from deferred maintenance, litter accumulation, invasive plant growth, and reduced accessibility. These conditions diminish public safety, limit recreational use, and weaken residents’ connection to shared community spaces.
Community feedback from SSREW participants, reentry partners, and neighborhood stakeholders consistently identifies paid, locally grounded work and visible neighborhood improvements as high‑priority needs. This program responds directly by pairing transitional employment with community‑defined environmental stewardship, increasing both individual stability and collective benefit.

Program Description

Program Structure
The Trail & Environmental Management Workforce Program will operate from June through September 2026, employing 8 participants in supervised crews.
-Work Schedule: 20–25 hours per week per participant
-Wages: Seattle minimum wage (projected $21.30/hour)
-Crew Structure: 1 peer supervisor for every 4 participants
-Sites: 4–6 public parks, trails, or trailheads in South Seattle, selected in coordination with Seattle Parks & Recreation and community partners

Core Activities
Participants will perform:
-Trail surface repair and basic maintenance
-Litter control, waste management, and restroom cleaning
Identification and removal of invasive plant species
-Native planting and site restoration as appropriate
-Work plans will be adapted to site conditions and seasonal needs, with clear daily task assignments and safety briefings.

Supervision & Support
-Crews are supervised by trained peer leaders with lived experience in reentry and workforce development. Supervisors are responsible for:
-Daily safety check‑ins and task assignments
-Skill coaching and work readiness support
-Attendance and hours tracking
-Liaison with site partners
This structure balances accountability with peer‑based support, a model proven effective in SSREW’s prior employment programs.

Goals, Outcomes & Evaluation

Program Goals
Provide paid transitional employment that builds job readiness and stability for justice‑impacted adults.
Improve safety, accessibility, and environmental conditions at selected South Seattle public spaces.
Strengthen community stewardship through resident‑visible improvements and engagement.

Measurable Outcomes

Employment & Participation
-8 participants complete 8–12 weeks of paid employment
-300+ total paid work hours documented via payroll and attendance logs

Environmental Impact
-600+ square feet of invasive species removed
-200+ native plants installed or maintained
-4–6 sites show observable improvements in cleanliness and accessibility

Participant Progress
-At least 75% of participants report increased job readiness and confidence (pre/post survey)
-Evaluation Methods
-Evaluation is integrated into program delivery and includes:
-Weekly supervisor logs (hours, tasks completed, site conditions)
-Pre/post participant surveys focused on job readiness and confidence
-Photo documentation of site conditions (before/after)
-Brief partner and resident feedback forms
-Findings will be reviewed mid‑pilot to allow adjustments and summarized in a short final report shared with funders and partners.

Budget Summary & Use of Funds

Total Pilot Cost: Approximately $18,000
Amount Requested from N2N: $7,500
Use of N2N Funds:
Participant wages (primary use)
Essential tools, safety gear, and cleanup supplies
Remaining program costs will be covered through existing organizational resources, in‑kind support, and contracted maintenance revenue. N2N funds directly support paid work for community members and visible neighborhood improvements.

Sustainability
This pilot builds on SSREW’s existing employment and environmental service model. Following the pilot, SSREW will pursue contracted maintenance agreements, additional community grants, and public agency partnerships to sustain and expand paid crew opportunities. Lessons learned from the pilot will inform scale‑up while maintaining a peer‑led, equity‑centered approach.

Conclusion
The Trail & Environmental Management Workforce Program offers a practical, community‑defined response to racial and economic disparities in South Seattle. By pairing paid transitional employment with tangible improvements to shared public spaces, the program advances Neighbor to Neighbor priorities around grassroots leadership, community power, and equitable investment. South Sound Reentry & Environmental Works respectfully requests support to launch this focused, accountable pilot.