Garden Walk Buffalo announced grants, including a $2,500 grant to Re-Tree WNY, at its Beautification Awards event held last night at D’Youville College in Buffalo.
“With the grants we’re giving out, we’re sort of spinning green into gold,” said Jim Charlier, president of Garden Walk Buffalo.
Garden Walk Buffalo is a free event that brings visitors into Buffalo from across the country. The nonprofit organization raises money for its expenses through the sale of merchandise and through corporate sponsorships. The money raised is also used to fund the grants.
Garden Walk Buffalo awarded grants to five groups for neighborhood beautification projects. The projects are usually awarded between $250 and $1,000.
In order to qualify, the projects have to be able to be seen from the street. It’s simple to apply, and few applications are turned down, Charlier said.
The group applying must be a nonprofit group. If the group doesn’t have official nonprofit status, they can be aided in finding a nonprofit group to work with in order to qualify for the grants. Applications are accepted from October through December and awards are made in the spring.
Those receiving awards included:
- Argyle Block Neighborhood Association for restoration of their islands
- Child & Family Services for landscaping at the Conners Children’s Center Residential Treatment Center
- Claremont Community Block Club for planters
- Elmwood Village Association for flower baskets
- Kleinhans Community Association for a planter project
Re-Tree WNY received a $2,500 grant from Garden Walk Buffalo. The donation was doubled by the Buffalo Sabres, enabling about 60 trees to be planted.
Re-Tree WNY was founded after the October Storm in 2006. The group is working on a five-year plan to replace the approximately 30,000 trees in Western New York that were damaged or destroyed in the storm. It won a National Arbor Day Award from the Arbor Day Foundation in 2008 for its efforts.
Volunteers will be needed for massive tree plantings in April and May. For more information, go to Re-Tree’s website, email pmaurer@entercom.com or call Paul Maurer, chairman of Re-Tree WNY, at 716-553-4061.
I just got done congratulating Jim on his blog, but I see more kudos should be passed his way! Wonderful for GWB.
Oh, that’s $3.4 million!
Thanks Connie. I do think people are starting to realize what an impact Garden Walk Buffalo has had – whether it’s bringing tourists to town (with an economic impact of $3.4), its part in turning around streets and neighborhoods (improving home values), it’s granting of tens of thousands of dollars for OTHER gardening beautification projects around town, melting Buffalo’s rustbelt/snowbelt image by having dozens of our gardens appear in national magazines, or just providing a weekend’s entertainment and exercise for 55,000 – 60,000 people. I think Garden Walk Buffalo has achieved things for the city the city is incapable of doing for itself. And? Garden Walk has never taken a dime in tax-payer money from the city, state or county.
I don’t think people realize the impact that Garden Walk Buffalo has on the region. As a nonprofit organization, it helps community gardeners beautify the city. Of course, it also brings loads of tourists to town.
This is awesome news – Congratulations to Jim Charlier and the Garden Walk Buffalo Team!