It’s that time of year again! Earlier this month, GRN launched our fifth summer outreach office. Over the course of the summer, dozens of dedicated activists will be working to protect and restore the natural resources of the Gulf of Mexico by having tens of thousands of conversations with Gulf residents about restoring the Gulf. They’ll be working out of our Carrollton Avenue Summer Outreach office and will fan out across the greater New Orleans area, across Lake Pontchartrain to the North Shore, up to Baton Rouge, down to Houma, and spots in between. We’ll also be sending groups out to all five Gulf States this summer.If you hear a knock at your door, there’s a good chance you’ll find a slightly sweaty young adult wearing a Gulf Restoration Network t-shirt standing there waiting patiently to tell you how you can act to protect and restore the Gulf. Spend a few minutes getting an update on the ongoing impacts of BP’s drilling disaster and how GRN is responding and organizing to ensure a healthy future for the coast and our communities. Take the opportunity to act and support all of our hard work by becoming a Gulf Sustainer and making a monthly contribution to GRN.Additionally, we will continue to hire activists throughout the first half of the summer. If you or someone you know wants to be an activist working to build the groundswell of public support that we need to hold BP accountable and restore our coast, apply today. Several staff members at GRN, including myself, got our start in the summer outreach office. It’s an incredibly valuable experience no matter what your future career path may be.So when you hear that knock on your door, engage in a conversation about how you want to protect and restore our Gulf. And don’t forget to offer to refill your canvasser’s water bottle! It’s hot out there!Helen Rose Patterson is GRN’s Outreach Team Manager.
