Community Spotlight | The Waterbury Times
The Waterbury Times|Community Spotlight|Published May 21, 2026
The Waterbury Times sat down with Mya Saree’ Gray, M.S. Community Building & Empowerment Managers- NEST- and we discussed the importance of Tree Coverage, Community Empowerment, and the impactful work being done at NEST
Waterbury- Waterbury has always been a city shaped by its people — and at NEST (Neighborhood Housing Services of Waterbury), that belief is at the center of everything they do.
Founded in 1980, NEST is a HUD-certified NeighborWorks America affiliate committed to strengthening neighborhoods through affordable housing development, financial education, and community ownership. But one of its most transformative efforts today lives outside traditional housing work — in gardens, trees, and resident-led spaces that are reshaping how the city connects with itself.
At the heart of this work is the Community Building & Empowerment (CB&E) Department, focused on resident engagement and leadership development. CB&E operates on a simple but powerful belief: communities thrive when residents are not just participants, but leaders.
“We believe resident engagement and leadership are essential for communities to realize their vision for a vibrant and welcoming place for all to call home,” Gray said.
From Gardens to Gathering Spaces
One of the clearest examples of this philosophy in action is the Love & Care Community Garden, created in 2019 by participants in NEST’s Resident Leadership Training cohort.
What began as a community project has grown into a living neighborhood hub — a space where food, art, education, and relationships all intersect.
Today, the garden includes:
- Community gardening and food production
- A resident-led Garden Club
- Art installations, including a mural and a 1,800-pound sculpture
- Beekeeping and pollinator education
- Annual honey harvest celebrations
- Educational workshops with environmental partners
- Free food distributions twice each month
More than just a green space, the garden has become a place where neighbors build trust, share resources, and strengthen community ties.
Expanding Into Urban Forestry
That same community-driven approach has expanded into a broader environmental initiative.
In 2021, NEST launched its urban forestry program and helped form the Waterbury Tree Coalition, bringing together residents, nonprofits, and partners around a shared goal: expanding the city’s tree canopy.
From 2021 through 2023, the initiative planted 28 trees across Waterbury, laying the groundwork for today’s larger efforts focused on environmental health and neighborhood resilience.
A key focus of the work is equity. Neighborhoods like Crownbrook, which have significantly lower tree canopy coverage than the city average, are central to current programming.
A Growing Citywide Effort
Today, CB&E’s urban forestry initiative is supported by funding from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP), combining environmental education, leadership development, and hands-on action.
Educational sessions throughout the year cover:
- Tree identification and care
- Climate resilience
- Public health benefits of urban trees
- Natural climate solutions
NEST also partners with organizations like The Nature Conservancy to support planning and planting efforts across the city.
“Foster a Tree” and Community Action
On March 17, 2026, NEST launched its Foster a Tree Program, the city’s first organized tree-growing initiative of its kind.
The launch event included a ribbon cutting, demonstrations, and a seedling exchange. In partnership with Brass City Harvest and Wilby High School’s Agricultural Program, 125 tree seedlings were distributed to residents and community partners.
Participants learned how to care for trees from seedling to maturity — turning environmental education into hands-on stewardship.
Connecting Health, Environment, and Community
On March 26, 2026, NEST hosted the Urban Forestry and Public Health Panel Discussion and Community Fair at UConn Waterbury.
The event brought together public health experts, historians, environmental leaders, students, and residents to explore a central question:
How do trees shape the health of a city?
Discussions focused on respiratory health, mental well-being, climate resilience, and the long-term benefits of urban canopy expansion.
A community resource fair also connected residents with local organizations and city services.
From Learning to Planting
Recent months have also brought the work directly into neighborhoods:
- On May 7, 2026, two trees were planted at Waterbury Youth Services following student workshops on urban forestry
- On May 8, 2026, five trees were planted at North End Recreation Center after youth participated in spring break programming
- A future planting at Hopeville Park is currently in development in partnership with the city
Each planting represents a full-circle moment — where young people first learn about environmental stewardship, then take part in shaping the spaces they use every day.
A Vision for Waterbury’s Future
For CB&E, this work is about more than trees and gardens — it is about reimagining what community looks like.
“I imagine a greener and healthier Waterbury, where trees clean the air, shade the streets, and create welcoming, walkable neighborhoods where families can gather, celebrate life, and build meaningful relationships,” Gray said.
That vision extends beyond environmental change. It includes a city where residents are empowered to live, build, and grow locally — where skills and resources are shared, and community becomes a system of mutual support.
“If one neighbor grows tomatoes and another grows carrots, they share their harvest. If one person is skilled in carpentry and another in teaching, those gifts are exchanged for the benefit of the whole community.”
For CB&E, the goal is not only to plant trees — but to cultivate connection, abundance, and long-term neighborhood resilience.
About the Program
NEST’s Community Building & Empowerment Department continues to lead resident-focused initiatives across Waterbury that combine housing stability, environmental stewardship, and leadership development.
Work like this reflects a broader ecosystem of community-based organizations in Waterbury focused on neighborhood stability, environmental justice, and resident empowerment. Parker Jane Public Benefit Corporation is among the local entities aligned with these types of community-driven initiatives, supporting programs that strengthen long-term civic capacity and neighborhood resilience.
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