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History
Sustainable Solutions was founded in 2004 by Jessica Yorko.
Staff
Jessica Yorko specializes in change. Jessica helps
organizations and communities create change by
developing community-based programs, building capacity,
leading advocacy campaigns, and coordinating marketing
and communications.
In 2004, Jessica started Sustainable Solutions to provide fundraising,
program development, and event planning services for Michigan
environmental organizations. Sustainable Solutions has helped numerous
organizations build capacity, get new programs off the ground, and grow
existing programs. Clients have included Michigan Interfaith Power and
Light, West Michigan Environmental Action Council, Shepard Advisors,
Sustainable Research Group, Recycle Ann Arbor, and others.
In the Lansing area, Jessica works closely with the Mid-Michigan
Environmental Action Council, where she has developed the Smart
Commute, Volunteer Stream Monitoring, and Walking and Bicycling Task
Force programs, and led grassroots environmental advocacy projects, like
the Michigan Avenue Rain Garden campaign.
Driven by her passion and interest in urban revitalization and creating
walkable destinations in Lansing, Jessica also began managing the
NorthWest Initiative's Westside Alliance Program in 2006. In that capacity,
she works with business and property owners, residents, and city and
state officials to improve blighted areas along Saginaw Street on Lansing's
Westside. This work includes everything from workshops and assistance
for businesses to the Westside Summer Fest to mobilizing residents to
advocate for traffic changes along Saginaw Street.
Jessica is also Co-Chair of the Lansing Walking & Bicycling Task Force and
a member of the Lansing Public Service Board. In recent years, Jessica
served on the Northwest Lansing Food Security Committee, Mayor
Bernero's Transition Team on the Environment, and the Ingham County
Land Use and Health Team.
Between graduating from Kalamazoo College in 2000 with a BA in
Economics and Environmental Studies and starting Sustainable Solutions in
2004, Jessica spent four years with the Michigan Department of
Environmental Quality, first as a Financial Analyst and later as a Marketing
and Partnership Coordinator.
Jessica's unique style of leadership comes from her ability to combine
passion and vision with team-building, organization and planning, and a
real understanding of obstacles and assets to creating change.
Jessica's fun times involve gardening, parenting, bicycling, painting, and
being around the wonderful, creative people in the Lansing area who
make it such a special place.
Joy Baldwin is an artist who has dabbled in every trade she has come
across, performing duties such as candle making, jeweler apprenticeship,
torched glass, photography, theater backdrops, murals, retail
management, and marketing for a variety of local businesses and
non-profit agencies. She has received over 30 awards for her art, poetry,
photography, and journalism skills and has self published three books
combining those skills. Joy has an Associate in the Applied Science of
Human Services, is nearing the completion in her Associates in Psychology,
and plans to someday complete her Associates in the Arts degree.
Currently she searches for opportunities to use her artistic skills for the
betterment of community and humanity.
Joy runs the Mid-Michigan Leadership Academy School Garden, publishes
newsletters for three separate local non-profit agencies and is moving her
way into website design and management. Her long term goals are to
provide free therapy for low income families with interests in art therapy;
and wishes to continue her ventures in a variety of community art. Joy is
happily married and a mother of two beautiful children, Jasper and Willow.
Sustainable Solutions was founded in 2004 by Jessica Yorko.
Staff
Jessica Yorko specializes in change. Jessica helps
organizations and communities create change by
developing community-based programs, building capacity,
leading advocacy campaigns, and coordinating marketing
and communications.
In 2004, Jessica started Sustainable Solutions to provide fundraising,
program development, and event planning services for Michigan
environmental organizations. Sustainable Solutions has helped numerous
organizations build capacity, get new programs off the ground, and grow
existing programs. Clients have included Michigan Interfaith Power and
Light, West Michigan Environmental Action Council, Shepard Advisors,
Sustainable Research Group, Recycle Ann Arbor, and others.
In the Lansing area, Jessica works closely with the Mid-Michigan
Environmental Action Council, where she has developed the Smart
Commute, Volunteer Stream Monitoring, and Walking and Bicycling Task
Force programs, and led grassroots environmental advocacy projects, like
the Michigan Avenue Rain Garden campaign.
Driven by her passion and interest in urban revitalization and creating
walkable destinations in Lansing, Jessica also began managing the
NorthWest Initiative's Westside Alliance Program in 2006. In that capacity,
she works with business and property owners, residents, and city and
state officials to improve blighted areas along Saginaw Street on Lansing's
Westside. This work includes everything from workshops and assistance
for businesses to the Westside Summer Fest to mobilizing residents to
advocate for traffic changes along Saginaw Street.
Jessica is also Co-Chair of the Lansing Walking & Bicycling Task Force and
a member of the Lansing Public Service Board. In recent years, Jessica
served on the Northwest Lansing Food Security Committee, Mayor
Bernero's Transition Team on the Environment, and the Ingham County
Land Use and Health Team.
Between graduating from Kalamazoo College in 2000 with a BA in
Economics and Environmental Studies and starting Sustainable Solutions in
2004, Jessica spent four years with the Michigan Department of
Environmental Quality, first as a Financial Analyst and later as a Marketing
and Partnership Coordinator.
Jessica's unique style of leadership comes from her ability to combine
passion and vision with team-building, organization and planning, and a
real understanding of obstacles and assets to creating change.
Jessica's fun times involve gardening, parenting, bicycling, painting, and
being around the wonderful, creative people in the Lansing area who
make it such a special place.
Joy Baldwin is an artist who has dabbled in every trade she has come
across, performing duties such as candle making, jeweler apprenticeship,
torched glass, photography, theater backdrops, murals, retail
management, and marketing for a variety of local businesses and
non-profit agencies. She has received over 30 awards for her art, poetry,
photography, and journalism skills and has self published three books
combining those skills. Joy has an Associate in the Applied Science of
Human Services, is nearing the completion in her Associates in Psychology,
and plans to someday complete her Associates in the Arts degree.
Currently she searches for opportunities to use her artistic skills for the
betterment of community and humanity.
Joy runs the Mid-Michigan Leadership Academy School Garden, publishes
newsletters for three separate local non-profit agencies and is moving her
way into website design and management. Her long term goals are to
provide free therapy for low income families with interests in art therapy;
and wishes to continue her ventures in a variety of community art. Joy is
happily married and a mother of two beautiful children, Jasper and Willow.
| Communications |
| Events |
| Jessica Yorko designed the logo above for branding and marketing on Lansing's Westside. |
| Jessica Yorko created and coordinates the annual Westside Summer Fest, attended by more than 5,000 people in 2008. (Poster artwork above by Joy Baldwin.) |
| SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS |
Creating community and organizational change.
| Sustainable Solutions - 517-214-5684 - jessicayorko@sustainablesolutions.biz |