East Providence awarded $20,000 TD Green Space Grant for Innovative Urban Forestry Initiatives in Underserved Neighborhoods

East Providence, RI –The City of East Providence announced that it received a $20,000 USD TD Green Space Grant from TD Bank Group (TD) and the Arbor Day Foundation to support innovative urban greening and tree planting projects in underserved communities.

The City of East Providence plans to use the grant to plant a bio diverse grove of native trees in May, with species tags and educational signage for the public, as well as the build out of an outdoor classroom in October inside the circular grove that will support educational activities. East Providence was one of 20 U.S. and Canadian cities selected to receive a grant.

"Green spaces provide long-lasting environmental benefits, but they also play a vital role in creating more vibrant, livable cities by providing social, health and economic benefits for individuals and families," said Shelley Sylva Head of U.S Social Impact at TD Bank. "TD is proud to work with the Arbor Day Foundation to help create a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow by supporting critical green space programs in the East Providence community."

“Our goal with this grant program is to help communities not only enrich their green spaces but also enrich lives,” said Dan Lambe, President, Arbor Day Foundation. “We are supporting East Providence and its effort to build awareness about the benefits of trees, educate residents on proper tree care, and lay the groundwork for a greener future.”

The Arbor Day Foundation and TD Bank tree-planting project, which proposes to plant a bio diverse grove of native trees, will commence at Hull Street Park behind Whiteknact Elementary School on May 4, 2021. This project will enhance the park for students, families, and neighborhood residents, and provide an opportunity for outdoor education accessible to the school and the wider community.

To carry out this project, the City is working in partnership with EP Urban Forest, working to enhance the City’s ecosystem through education, planning and community activities.

The tree-planting event on May 4, 2021 will engage community volunteers in the planting of 14 native trees in the park. Neighbors, students, families, and school faculty are warmly invited to attend the event.

“We are absolutely honored to be a recipient of TD’s Green Space Grant, which helps to support our city’s existing urban greening and tree planting efforts,” Mayor Bob DaSilva said.

“We are so thankful to TD Bank and the City for helping us to build an urban forest refuge for our students and the neighborhood,” Jennifer Tierney, founding member EP Urban Forest.

TD provides funding for the grants, which are awarded annually for tree planting, maintenance costs and educational activities. The program is administered by the Arbor Day Foundation. TD Green Space Grants are made possible as part of the TD Ready Commitment, TD's global corporate citizenship platform, aimed at opening doors to a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow.

To be eligible for a grant, qualified municipalities must be located within TD's operating footprint in the United States and Canada. Priority was given to projects occurring in underserved areas of local communities. For municipalities applying within the U.S., preference was given to currently recognized Tree City USA® communities or those interested in becoming a Tree City USA community over the next calendar year.

In addition to East Providence other grant recipients this year are:

United States
• Burlington, Vermont
• East Providence, Rhode Island
• Greenville, South Carolina
• Hartford, Connecticut
• Jacksonville, Florida
• Newburgh, New York
• New Castle, Delaware
• Orlando, Florida
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Queens, New York

Canada
• Conception Bay South, Newfoundland and Labrador
• Milton, Ontario
• Mississauga, Ontario
• Montreal, Quebec
• Montreal, Quebec
• Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia
• New Westminster, British Columbia
• Regina, Saskatchewan
• Surrey, British Columbia
• Toronto, Ontario

For more information, visit www.arborday.org/programs/tdgreenspacegrants  


About the Arbor Day Foundation: Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation is the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than one million members, supporters, and valued partners. Their vision is to help others understand and use trees as a solution to many of the global issues we face today, including air quality, water quality, climate change, deforestation, poverty and hunger.

About TD Global Corporate Citizenship
TD has a long-standing commitment to enriching the lives of its customers, colleagues and communities. As part of its corporate citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment, TD is targeting CDN $1 billion (US $750 million*) in total by 2030 towards community giving in four areas critical to opening doors for a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow – Financial Security, Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through the TD Ready Commitment, the bank aspires to link its business, philanthropy and human capital to help people feel more confident - not just about their finances, but also in their ability to achieve their personal goals in a changing world. For further information, visit www.td.com/tdreadycommitment