As part of its ongoing partnership with Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal Conservancy (GCC), STV recently brought employees and New York interns together at the organization’s Lowlands Nursery for a volunteer day centered on local stewardship, learning and community impact.
After a guided tour of the site, the STV team helped with potting plants, mixing soil, composting and weeding in support of GCC’s stewardship and education programs. For interns, the day also offered a closer look at how community-based work and environmental advocacy intersect with the infrastructure and planning challenges shaping New York’s future.
“This partnership has never been about a single volunteer day – it’s about continuing to show up,” said Marcos Díaz González, regional transportation president at STV and past GCC Board Chair. “Each time we return to Gowanus, we’re reminded that building stronger communities also means supporting the local organizations and environmental efforts that help them thrive. Bringing interns into that work makes the experience even more meaningful.”
GCC is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit dedicated to building a resilient open space network centered on the Gowanus Canal, a historically polluted waterway undergoing long-term restoration. STV has supported the organization through recurring volunteer efforts that reflect the firm’s broader commitment to resilient communities and local environmental stewardship.
The day also reflects STV’s broader work in making communities more resilient through enhancing water infrastructure and flood protection. In its project work, that mission is best evidenced by STV’s support for floodwall and resilience improvements for the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission, upgrades at the Red Hook Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility, flood protection upgrades at the Tallman Island Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility, flood mitigation at Coney Island Yard Complex and more.
For interns, the volunteer day made those broader connections more tangible. Serena Kielley, a planning intern at STV, received a firsthand look at how community-based work can shape a professional perspective early in a career.
“It was meaningful to be part of something that directly supports the local community,” Kielley said. “It made the connection between the work we do and the people and places it affects feel much more real.”
For Sara Shah, an operations intern at STV, the volunteer day offered a different perspective on how varied roles and expertise contribute to community impact.
“I liked seeing how many different people and teams came together to support the day,” Shah said. “It showed me that community impact depends not only on the work happening on-site, but also on the coordination and support that make efforts like this possible.”
