I wasn't sure what to expect when my hometown, Montclair, NJ, was selected to become a recipient of a Sustainable Jersey grant enabling us to acquire an Open Green Map. Thanks to our volunteers, and Wendy Brawer's guidance and technical assistance, our results are much greater than I could have even hoped. We have identified over 100 sustainability assets and attributes in our community - from electric charging stations to our Farmers' Market, and from historical places and our Recycling Zones to the Montclair Art Museum - and the OGM is now available to all residents and will soon also be available on our Township Website. We've had input from people I wouldn't have thought even cared, and we are excited about opportunities to be able to work with school kids as well. Wendy even came to our town for a day-long presentation and Map demonstration! The Green Map organization is a well-organized, successful, and generous group and we are proud to be a part of the international Green Map movement.
The Green Map System is an unusually strong nonprofit in a crowded field. Wendy Brawer and Carlos Martinez made multiple site visits and gave presentations to help us launch our effort, pro bono! Wendy personifies open-source, informed and engaged leadership with her gentle demeanor and dogged commitment. The brand and vision are utterly consistent, and the quality of empowerment that Green Mapping brings to communities is high. We have been able to engage a regional leadership fellows program in completing our Green Map thanks to the care and quality of the platform created by Green Map Central.
