On Saturday, November 1st, Esperanza’s Housing and Economic Development (EHED) division hosted it’s Fall Yard Tree Giveaway event, at Police Officer Lauretha Vaird Boys and Girls Club. EHED partnered with TreePhilly, Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, Esperanza College (volunteers), Esperanza, BR Landscape & Hardscape, and Philadelphia Water Department, for this initiative.
During the event, 68 trees were distributed (for free!) to community members from Hunting Park and Feltonville. There were many different species of trees distributed, including Black Gum, Serviceberry, Sourwood, Yellowwood, American Snowbell, Pawpaw, Sour Cherry, and Plum. Event attendees who received a tree also benefited from a bilingual tree planting demonstration provided by a landscaping contractor, so they were better prepared to plant the tree correctly. Rodolfo Santos, who volunteered at the event, said “It’s great to see so many trees going into people’s yards, to become a member of their family.”
These trees are more than just decoration for residents’ yards. Trees help to provide shade and cool our homes, which becomes very important during the hot summer months. They can even help you save on your utility bills! Depending on the species of tree, they can also provide fruit to eat and beautiful flowers to enjoy seasonally. Our neighborhood does not enjoy as much green space and natural greenery (trees, gardens, etc.) as other areas in Philadelphia, so every tree counts, including trees in our back yards.
As of the writing of this article, there are nine trees remaining that are looking for homes. If you’re interested in getting one of these yard trees for free, please reach out to Morgan Doyle, EHED’s program manager who leads the tree programs. Her number is 215-324-0746 (Ext.315) and her email is mdoyle@esperanza.us. If you want to sign up for a yard tree next spring, you can reach out to Morgan Doyle for more information
Esperanza and our partners cannot do this work alone! Coming up on Saturday, November 15th, Esperanza’s EHED team will be hosting a neighborhood tree planting, where we will plant around 40 trees at different sites in Hunting Park. We are looking for volunteers to help us get trees in the ground. The event will begin at the parking lot at Esperanza (4261 N 5th St), starting at 9:30 am and going until around 1:30 pm. This is a great service opportunity for families, people who need service hours, and students. We will provide food and a tree planting demonstration, so no planting experience is necessary. You can sign up to register as a volunteer for our tree planting through Morgan Doyle or using the QR code or link below.
Join us and help us make our community greener
