The Home Depot Foundation Sponsors Sixth Annual National NeighborWoods Month in October
Throughout the month of October, in more than 150 cities around the country, local non-profit organizations and their partners will participate in this year’s National NeighborWoods Month. Organized by the Alliance for Community Trees (ACT), National NeighborWoods Month is sponsored through a generous grant from The Home Depot Foundation. The USDA Forest Service also sponsors this program.
Participating communities and organizations will stage 500 events, plant 35,000 trees, and recruit more than 20,000 volunteers to improve urban spaces throughout the country. Recognized benefits of tree planting include the following:
According to real estate experts, trees can increase property values by as much as 10 – 15%.
Trees also have a direct impact on economic development. According to research out of the University of Washington, trees attract business and tourism… commercial retail areas are more attractive to shoppers, buildings rent more quickly, and tenants stay longer.
The National Wildlife Federation estimates that there are about 60- to 200- million spaces along our nation’s city streets where trees could be planted. This translates to the potential to absorb 33 million more tons of CO2 every year, saving $4 billion in energy costs.
Since its formation in 2002, The Home Depot Foundation has granted $190 million to nonprofit organizations like ACT. Regarding the National NeighborWoods Month events, the President of The Home Depot Foundation, Kelly Caffarelli had this to say:
“National NeighborWoods Month offers a unique opportunity for people to understand the contributions of trees to the health, beauty and livability of their communities. By partnering with ACT and local NeighborWoods organizations, the Foundation is able to further its goals of investing in the overall health and success of our communities.
