Braddock Redux » About
About

Braddock Redux’s founder, John Fetterman had a vision of a vacant church becoming a center of community activity and positive momentum.

He imagined groups of people with wide varieties of skills, knowledge, resources, drive, and abilities sharing ideas and developing collaborative efforts. His vision became Braddock Redux.

Where some people see abandoned buildings, vacant lots, and bored youth with nothing to do, Braddock Redux sees opportunity. Founded in 2003 by John Fetterman, Braddock Redux promotes local environmental stewardship, arts programs, employment, training, and mentoring for local youth. We seek out creative and engaging community revitalization projects.

We envision a community where local youth take responsibility for the deteriorating built and natural environment. We envision a Braddock where new, green initiatives fuse with the existing community to create a healthy place to live. One of our goals is to give youth the tools and experience they need to accomplish this.

Braddock Redux seeks to strengthen existing activities in our community through a wide range of collaborations and support. We believe that engaging in a community revitalization conversation on both local and national levels can help us achieve our goal of sustainable renewal. Our work would not be possible were it not for robust relationships between Braddock Redux, the KEYS Service Corps AmeriCorps program, Grow Pittsburgh, the Braddock Carnegie Library and the Braddock Youth Project.

These organizations collaborate regularly to provide employment opportunities for local youth, preserve Braddock’s built and natural environments, and attract outside interest to the community.

Our list of accomplishments feature projects that draw on youth energy and ideas to improve Braddock’s natural environment. Braddock Redux has paved the way for the community’s first urban garden, tended by youth, a youth-run flower farm, an urban orchard, and Grow Pittsburgh’s largest urban production farm, which employs local youth and WOOFERS from around the region each summer. We also sponsor events which strenthen bonds within the greater community such as Light Up Night, easter egg hunts, and a haunted house. We expect these programs, connections and events to grow through the renovation of our Braddock Community Center.

Our Mission

To mobilize teens, young adults, and like-minded people of all ages from both within and outside the community for the purpose of the overall betterment of the Braddock area through training opportunities, art initiatives, green initiatives, employment opportunities, the creative re-use of existing structures, and through the flexibility to respond to other opportunities that arise.

Braddock Redux is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Woodland Hill School District’s All District Art Show at the Braddock Community Center

2 Comments (Leave a Reply)

  1. Stan Horton (June 20, 2011)

    I Thank GOD that Mayor Fetterman has the vision to things that know one els could do. You inspired me to do things in my Colorado Springs neighborhood. Thank You Mayor John I would love to help you. Stan Horton born in Braddock Hospital 1959(raised in Swissvale)U.S.Army Retired

  2. Karen Black (July 22, 2011)

    You are a true hero and inspiration. I am from Charleroi and I began to cry reading about what you are doing. Let’s hope it can spread!! I would love to help in some way. -Karen Black (Los Angeles, CA)