
Green City Force
Model & Strategy
Green City Force’s mission is to break the cycle of poverty, preparing urban young adults to succeed in their chosen careers by engaging them in service, training and work experiences related to the clean energy economy. In doing so, they encourage participants to lead socially and environmentally responsible lives. Green City Force envisions a “green city” built on principles of sustainability, social, economic and environmental justice.
To achieve this vision, they work through a model city-wide Clean Energy Corps in New York City that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, inspires passion for sustainability and service, stimulates the demand for green services, and creates ladders to careers in the green economy for young people living in poverty. Green City Force’s ambition is that national service directed at reducing green-house gas emissions and improving the environment becomes an avenue to prosperity for generations of urban youth, as well as a means to build a culture of sustainability that can drive the growth of the green economy.



As an Echoing Green Fellow in 1993, Lisbeth Shepard co-founded Unis-Cité, the leading national service corps in France which engages over 1000 corps members in 27 cities and has inspired national civilian youth service legislation. Before founding Green City Force in 2009, Lisbeth served as chair of the national Clean Energy Corps Working Group at Green for All and worked with the After Prison Initiative of the Open Society Institute on the development of the Civic Justice Corps. Lisbeth, a graduate of Yale University, is co-author of the book Demain Le Service Civil.
IMPACT
GCF’s graduate-driven social enterprise—the Illuminators—has employed over 100 alumni on the country’s largest multifamily energy retrofit, ensuring that young residents connect to jobs created through this historic investment.
GCF is launching the next phase of our work: Ecohubs powered by Green City Force for health, sustainability, and closed-loop systems in public housing communities that keep young adult residents and their career paths at the center.
Since 2009, GCF has run 20 cohorts, graduating a total of 502 students. Of the graduates, 80% have been placed in work or school within six months. GCF has accomplished a 96% placement rate by six months in the past 3 years. GCF’s model inspired PowerCorps PHL, Philadelphia’s green jobs & service corps, which serves 100+ members annually.
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RT @NYCUrbanAg: Beautiful evening in Central Park at Wollman Rink with @GreenCityForce celebrating their NYCHA Civilian Climate Corps! GCF’…
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More great news! GCF alum & @DavidPrizeNYC winner Domingo Morales and his @compost_power initiative are featured in… https://t.co/BTPXikyzGd
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RT @BklynFoundation: We're proud to support @GreenCityForce through our Invest in Youth initiative! Learn more: https://t.co/DJrQEFZam4 #Yo…
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Did you catch us on @NBCNewYork yesterday? Bay View Service Coordinator Hakim Jeffrey & Domingo Morales… https://t.co/ICLw5d5FWY
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RT @FarmSchoolNYC: To learn more, follow this link: https://t.co/u4RJieAKAj
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Meet Bernard, an amazing GCF alum working @ConEdison. “GCF is the reason why I’m at where I am at. I learned a lot… https://t.co/YORurtT7u7
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RT @Manhattan_SWAB: Friday May 6th | 4pm
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RT @HISTORY: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month begins today and is an annual celebration that recognizes the historical an…
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RT @NYCzerowaste: It’s International Compost Awareness Week! Food scraps and yard waste are resources–not trash. Learn all about composting…
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Happy #arborday! GCF #SocialEnterprise alums worked w/@NYCHA (w/@NYCParks& @nature_ny support) to inventory 13,700+… https://t.co/loaJdOAy5M
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Thank you @NYCComptroller & @NYCHA for a great #dayofservice on Earth Day! We’re gearing up for the new farm season… https://t.co/WTYEjRwqIK
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RT @nycemergencymgt: Join @nycemergencymgt, @NYClimate, @nychealthy and @nycparks tomorrow for a webinar on how trees 🌳contribute to New Yo…
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RT @HarrisonDMarks: Spotted in Chelsea today! Let's make sure that New Yorkers are ready to follow this powerful message from a young neig…
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RT @NYCComptroller: Delighted to spend #EarthDay with Jelani, Ashley and Brandon and @GreenCityForce here at the Forest Houses in Morrisani…
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RT @icgtworks: Earth Week celebration of @GreenCityForce as NYCHA’s Civilian Climate Corps turned into a family reunion. It was great meeti…
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Our #earthweek event was a blast! A special thank you to speakers @Rit_Aggarwala @tamara537 Siobhan Watson & our al… https://t.co/bf3RKhI57m
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RT @GlicksteinDebra: Celebrating earth day with @GreenCityForce - @NYCHA Civilian Conservation Corps and couldn’t be more inspired by the 2…
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RT @NYCWater: Chief Climate Officer @Rit_Aggarwala: "@GreenCityForce's commitment to service, training, sustainability, & justice is a mode…
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RT @r_atcheson: Celebrating @GreenCityForce (aka @NYCHA’s civilian climate corps) with @Rit_Aggarwala @NYCWater just brings together so man…
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RT @climatemicah: We are the movement. We are the force. This #EarthDay2022 help support @GreenCityForce and support food, farms, jobs, res…