New Group Set to ‘Energize Brookline’

Brookline’s new community group isn’t about meetings or regulations or subcommittees—it’s about getting involved.

After several weeks of talking, Energize Brookline officially came together in just a few days, with a core group of volunteers who want to encourage others in the community to volunteer and take on projects for the betterment of Brookline.

“We want to highlight the things that are already here in Brookline,” said Jennifer Grab, an Energize organizer. “A lot of the young people here are going to other neighborhoods to hang out. We all live in Brookline, and we want to make this the place where we do that.”

Grab said the new organization is more about getting involved than anything else. The purpose is simply to “energize” Brookline by shopping, eating and hanging out at local establishments, and encouraging others to do the same. At the same time, it’s a core group of people who are ready to volunteer for their community when needed.

The members, who range in age from 22 to mid-30s, met while working on the project. That’s how they found out about, and started attending, South Pittsburgh Development Corporation meetings, Grab said.

“After SPDC meetings, a small group of us would go out and we decided we want to do informal projects,” she said. “You don’t have to be involved with everything, but go with your interest.”

The plan is to find things in the community that could use some attention and offer help, whether it be for gardening projects, the care of Cannon Park, or working with the food banks and churches.

Nobody gets paid, and any money raised goes right back into the community. Everyone is welcome to join the conversation.

Its first project is to sponsor the this Friday, May 18. All proceeds from that event will be used for community betterment projects.

“What I hope to see out of this is that we have a community meeting where no idea is a bad idea,” she said. “We want to see what everybody wants and then see what’s within our range and what projects we’re capable of doing.”

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