Nonquit Street Neighborhood Association and Land Trust

CONTACT:

Box 255410, Upham's Corner
Boston, MA 02125-5410
617-436-3182

Ruth C. Clarke, president

DESCRIPTION:

NSNALT, founded in 1992, bridges the Catalogue’s basic categories of “Nature” and “Culture.” It serves the "higher spiritual needs of residents” as a necessity, not a luxury, in the low-income, blighted community of Upham's Corner, Dorchester. With many volunteers, NSNALT organized clean-ups of local properties, persuaded property owners to make specific improvements and security enhancements, and transformed two desolate spaces at opposite ends of a 400-ft. cul-de-sac street, into the “Nonquit Street Green,” and the “Garden Wildlife Habitat,” connected by flowering trees and plants all along the way. The Green features a children’s sculpture garden with works donated by Nancy Schön, creator of “Make Way for Ducklings” in the Boston Public Garden. She philanthropically gave the neighborhood a “Magic Dragon,” to which she will add “The Owl and the Pussycat”— symbolizing the love that transcends differences in this ethnically diverse community. Property values have quadrupled in the 10 years since NSNALT began its work, and it is widely considered a model program for other communities—showing how motivated residents can, with very little money, transform their environment in uplifting and inspiring ways. These folks could do a lot more, however, with the support of a few caring donors from outside the ‘hood. Could you, would you, help?

(2004: NATURE: Environment: Land, Air, Water, Climate)