Stories from the SOUL: Climana Neighborhood Association

May 8, 2018May 10, 2018Leave a comment

Last week, we told you why you and the hundreds of other volunteers and residents that have given their time and energy matter so much to us. Today, we’re showcasing the amazing folks in the Climana community to highlight what’s possible when a community comes together.

You may not have heard of the Climana neighborhood before. It’s a small but proud neighborhood bordered by Freret, Claiborne, Louisiana and Napoleon. Near the end of our last planting season, Climana Neighborhood Association reached out to SOUL eager to plant trees in their neighborhood. They quickly rallied neighbors to sign permits and local businesses to donate to the cause. Together we planted 38 trees on 21 properties in Climana with the help of residents and volunteers. Check out the video below to learn more about this exciting grassroots effort:

Like you, Climana wants to see trees on their streets and all of the benefits that come with a healthy tree canopy. With a sincere motivation, critical mass of active residents, and an ample amount of planning and elbow grease, Climana turned their dream into a reality.

Now, as we enter our third year, we have a favor to ask: will you donate today so we can scale up to empower even more communities? Our tiny two-person staff is doing a whole lot with very little. We keep our overhead low and our impact high. No gift is too big or small, so please give today to the best of your ability so that we can continue this important work. Thank you for your consideration.

Warm regards,

Susannah

P.S. We are in week 2 of our month-long TreeCentennial fundraiser and have raised $2,777 of our $15,000 goal. Check out the other stories and support community-driven reforestation today.

The Importance of Community

May 4, 2018May 10, 2018Leave a comment

Can we celebrate a ‘win’ with you?

We just participated in our first GiveNOLA Day, and the results were astounding: 68 unique donors – 30 of which were new to SOUL – helped surpass our goal and raise more than $2,700 to support the reforestation of our beloved city.

Words cannot truly express how grateful and honored both Susannah and I feel for people like you who have helped to build such a strong grassroots presence in just two years.

Together, we have seen many fundraising and tree-planting efforts clearly display the power, momentum, and community a reforestation movement needs and brings.

Many of you, alongside hundreds of volunteers, canvass neighborhoods, consult with homeowners, collect the necessary permits, plant the trees, water and mulch them, and so much more. You give thousands of hours of strength, wisdom, and care. That’s community, and is one of the necessary components we need to restore New Orleans’ canopy.

For SOUL, our tree plantings and other programs create a sense of community, as dozens of people come together for a few hours to instill meaningful impact and investment in their neighborhood and city. If you’ve been to a tree planting of ours, you know the camaraderie that develops when you plant a tree together. For the rest of a tree’s life, a few people can proudly proclaim, “I helped plant that!”

When you invest in trees for your community, you’re a creating and building a lasting change to every neighborhood in New Orleans. SOUL is grateful, and so is the entire New Orleans community.

Will you be a part of our community and donate to SOUL today?

With gratitude,

Scott Mayer
Development Director
Sustaining Our Urban Landscape (SOUL)

P.S. GiveNOLA Day was just the beginning to our kickoff to our TreeCentennial celebration, which helps us with our community-building reforestation. Ready to join us? Donate today.

Stories from the SOUL: Karen Terranova

May 1, 2018May 10, 2018Leave a comment

Mrs. Karen Terranova was born in New Orleans in 1958 and is third generation to operate Terranova’s Supermarket on Esplanade. Terranova’s was the first store to reopen after Katrina, serving its neighborhood groceries that were so desperately needed in the wake of the storm. She has seen the slow and steady – and then dramatic – deforestation of New Orleans throughout the decades, and wanted to do her part in reversing that trend. She signed up for three of SOUL’s Little Gem Magnolias to be planted outside her grocery store, and has already enjoyed some of the fruits of her actions. See her story by clicking the video clip below:

Today is GiveNOLA Day, a day where thousands of people across the city give to their favorite local causes and organizations, bolstering New Orleans’ thriving non-profit sector. This year, SOUL enters its third year of reforesting New Orleans, block by block.

With your help, we can plant the next generation of trees, trees that keep the communities of New Orleans healthy, happy and safe. When you support SOUL, whether through volunteerism or monetary donations, you’re not just planting trees. You’re helping to strategically reforest the city so that all residents of New Orleans will have a thriving tree canopy that makes our city and its people more resilient toward storms and man-made climate change.

Join us – and Mrs. Karen – in celebrating our “TreeCentennial.” Your gift will help plant trees, advocate for tree-friendly measures, support free educational workshops, and offer continued care for our urban forest for generations to come.

Thank you for your support.

With gratitude,

Susannah + Scott

P.S. Karen is just one of hundreds of people helping to reforest New Orleans. You, too, can make a difference today. Go to www.givenola.org/soulnola and give today.

Celebrating the TreeCentennial

April 27, 2018May 10, 2018Leave a comment

It’s that wonderful time of the year when the sweet notes of Magnolias blend with jazz from the festivals, reminding us of how special our city really is. As you meander through the communities around the Fair Grounds this weekend, don’t forget to delight in the foliage of all the new trees that SOUL has planted: Savannah Hollies greet you outside the shops on Ponce de Leon, Sweet Bay Magnolias line Grande Route St. John, and a Drummond Red Maple glistens on Maurepas.

These trees, and the hundreds of others you helped plant throughout the city over the last two years, are really making an impact. Just ask Robert Mildenberger of Algiers Point:

“As I drive down what was a barren street and see newly planted trees, my spirit is uplifted. Keep it up.”

We hope you, too, experience a similar feeling of joy when you see the newest members of our city’s urban forest.

In honor of New Orleans’ tricentennial, we are launching our own TreeCentennial: a month-long series of inspirational and educational offerings to raise critical funding for our third year of reforesting New Orleans. We’ll feature stories from your neighbors like Robert, and explore how trees offer lasting benefits to our city.

“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” – Ancient Greek Proverb

Stay tuned as we kick off the campaign next Tuesday on GiveNOLA Day with a story about long-time resident and Terranova Supermarket owner Karen Terranova.

In the meantime, enjoy the first weekend of Jazz Fest, and all the trees leading up to it!

With gratitude,

Susannah & Scott