Roots to Rivers is a community-driven leadership program offered by UpstreamPgh and Neighborhood Allies for residents of East Hills, Homewood, and Wilkinsburg who want to understand how their neighborhoods were shaped—and how they can lead the changes needed now.

Many communities have experienced flooding, illegal dumping, disinvestment, and slow or inconsistent support during environmental disruptions. Residents have shared that they want to be equipped to protect and stabilize their neighborhoods themselves, instead of depending on outside emergency organizations or waiting for external institutions to intervene after a crisis.

Roots to Rivers responds to that desire for local strength, self-reliance, and community-led action.

Over six sessions, participants will:

• Learn how neighborhood design, infrastructure, and public systems reinforce environmental inequities
• Understand why certain areas flood, where dumping happens, and how water systems work
• Build practical skills for DIY neighborhood response—such as identifying hazards, reporting issues, mobilizing neighbors, organizing cleanup efforts, documenting environmental impacts, and advocating for services
• Learn how to read water quality reports, understand lead line risks, and use basic testing tools
• Gain knowledge about community-driven green design, from gardens to bioswales to street-scale improvements
• Connect with local organizations doing place-based environmental justice work
• Co-create action plans that reflect the community’s priorities and lived experiences

The program centers resident voices and provides the tools communities need to lead environmental response, advocate for accountability, and build resilience from the inside out.

Roots to Rivers empowers residents to protect and sustain their neighborhoods by building their own expertise, networks, and strategies for community care and environmental safety.

Funding for Roots to Rivers is provided through UpstreamPgh via the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green & Healthy Homes Initiative under the Thriving Communities Grant Program.