On September 27, employees from The Home Depot gathered in East Harlem to plant 39 street trees, contributing to our goal of one million. Coming from stores in New York City, New Jersey, and Connecticut, these 50 dedicated Team Depot volunteers installed flowering plum, golden rain, dogwood, and other varieties along 117^th Street between 1^st and Pleasant Avenues.

“The greatest challenge is channeling all of that wonderful enthusiasm,” says Christopher Vanterpool, NYRP’s Director of Horticulture. “Everybody is ready to go, so you’ve got to have a plan to put that energy to work and make sure everyone feels they’ve accomplished something by the end.”

And accomplish they did! Beginning with a rousing morning cheer, the volunteers set to work digging holes, assisted by NYRP crew and AmeriCorps members who ensured that trees were planted straight and at the correct level for proper drainage. For most trees, new pits were cut into the sidewalks and laid with soil in advance.

“Our goal is to make a long-lasting difference in communities. These trees will be here when our grandkids have grandkids,” says Al Manigault, a two-time, top-award-winning Team Depot Captain from Manhattan. Manigault grew up in Harlem’s Grant Houses and was proud to join his coworkers in improving the neighborhood.

Students and teachers at P.S. 155 were delighted, too. Seeing trees appear on their block, they quickly told their principal, Alejandrin Hendrick, who spoke with NYRP Executive Director Drew Becher about the project and participating in our environmental education programs. NYRP will hold an assembly at the school to educate the students on the importance of trees to the neighborhood.

East Harlem experiences higher-than-average air pollution, and residents suffer from some of the highest rates of asthma in the city; both can be reduced by increasing the urban tree canopy. If taught to care properly for their new trees, East Harlem kids can grow up alongside their green counterparts with each helping the other to stay healthy.

Funded by a $50,000 grant from The Home Depot Foundation, the tree planting kicked off the retailer’s annual Month of Service and was also supported by New York Cares, which organized additional volunteers, lunch and breakfast, and a DJ in our St. Mark’s Monastery Community Garden on East 117^th Street. The Home Depot is funding the garden’s restoration and has also made a generous gift of $1.5 million to support the MillionTreesNYC initiative.