Mission
About Us
MEVO (Mahwah Environmental Volunteers Organization, Inc.) is an environmental not-for-profit organization that catalyzes environmental action through volunteerism and experiential education in northern New Jersey and lower New York State. MEVO was founded in 2008 by then-high school student Eric J. Fuchs-Stengel with the purpose of engaging community members—particularly youth—in volunteer projects that transform suburban communities to be more environmentally sustainable. MEVO addresses local environmental concerns, which range from stewarding sustainable community farms; restoring, building, and maintaining low-impact hiking trails in nearby parks and reservations; and supporting environmental remediation efforts in our neighboring community, including the preserved forests of Stag Hill in Mahwah, NJ, the ancestral land of the Ramapough Lenape Nation.
Our Mission
To be the model for the creation of scalable ecological solutions that inspires and empowers people to take action for a better future.
Part of our mission is to build grassroots momentum for environmental action within local communities and to inspire individuals to create long-term change within their communities. Since MEVO was founded in 2008, we have mobilized over 7,000 volunteers of all ages to carry out over 70,000 hours of environmental community service at over 450 environmental volunteer events in northern New Jersey and lower New York State.
Our Vision
To help communities create social value change to achieve a better and healthier future through strategic volunteerism and directive education.
Youth Empowerment
MEVO is a youth-led and youth-empowering organization. MEVO goes above and beyond traditional organizations by training youth to become environmental leaders and agents of change. We believe in leading by example and engaging in direct hands-on action toward creating a more sustainable world. Many youth leaders trained by our organization have found full-time employment in the environmental, farming, and social impact spaces.
Sustainability
Sustainability is the goal and founding belief of MEVO. It broadly reflects the recognition that our actions today affect our prospects for tomorrow and future generations. Through our programs, MEVO aims to promote environmental sustainability and action among community members.
