Green Town Waukegan

GreenTOWN Waukegan, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization focusing on re-greening the City of Waukegan and providing job training and educational experiences.

Waukegan, Illinois—a rustbelt city of 100,000 on the shore of Lake Michigan between Chicago and Milwaukee—is the original Green Town. So it was named in novels by Ray Bradbury, who spent his boyhood in Waukegan's lush and mysterious urban river ravines, which meander some 12 miles throughout the city. GreenTOWN Waukegan, Inc. (GTW) seeks to reclaim Waukegan's historic green identity, unite its diverse residents, and re-energize the city and the larger Lake County community, of which Waukegan is the county seat. GTW forms partnerships with schools, churches, civic groups, and units of local government to create community gardens, providing opportunities to grow fresh, healthy produce and preserving "sacred spaces" for communing with nature. We also provide access to the legal system to protect neighborhoods from blight and decay. Further goals include bringing a green collar jobs training program to Waukegan and building a hydroponic urban farm in our city’s south side food desert.
When GTW’s demonstration garden—The Madeleine Fuqua Garden—was created on a derelict downtown lot in 2007, ethnic differences were overcome as diverse residents worked the soil together, developing and beautifying their shared community. An exciting multicultural Waukegan took root, with the promise of perennial blossoming. The Fuqua Garden currently contains a wide variety of flowers, herbs, and native plants, along with 21 raised vegetable beds with harvesting open to all. Those who support GTW’s goals are invited to join us in reclaiming Waukegan's heritage as a 21st century Green Town. For more information, please call or email us at finnnada@waukegan.com.

GreenTOWN Waukegan, Inc. evolved from the Taskforce on Waukegan Neighborhoods (TOWN), a 501(c)(3) organization, which has been awarded a Presidential Point of Light award from President Clinton. We work with numerous other not-for-profits in the area, and with numerous other stakeholders.