To raise awareness of the ongoing need for basic lawn care and landscape services for families of deployed military personnel and veterans with service-related disabilities, Project EverGreen recognizes May 15-21, 2016 as National GreenCare for Troops Awareness Week.
The program, which celebrates its 10th year in 2016, has seen more than 10,000 military families and veterans, and more than 5,000 green industry professionals register to receive or provide these much needed volunteer services since the program was launched in 2006. The program is supported by The Toro Company.
“These valuable services provide military families and wounded and disabled veterans with peace of mind and freedom to heal,” says Cindy Code, executive director of Project EverGreen. “A managed lawn and yard provides vital space for military personnel and veterans to recover and re-connect with their families. Our dedicated volunteers are a wonderful sense of support to our military families and veterans in their critical time of need and we are grateful for their leadership, as well as the continued support from The Toro Company.”
The program has provided basic lawn and landscape services and so much more including back yards for service dogs to run in, green gardens for disabled veterans to reflect in and countless hours of joy for families to bond.
Why are natural green spaces important to military families and veterans? Numerous studies have shown that access to well-maintained yards and parks provide families and children with health, safety and emotional benefits. In addition to a safe place to play, exercise and connect with their community, green spaces promote healthier lifestyles and comfort.
As part of the anniversary celebration and awareness week efforts, Project EverGreen has created a Promotional Tool Box for its volunteers featuring tips for promoting their involvement with the initiative, suggested social media posts, a detailed infographic and 60-second promotional video which can be seen on Project EverGreen’s YouTube channel.
For more information on how to volunteer or sign up for Project EverGreen’s GreenCare for Troops, call 888.611.2955 or visit www.ProjectEverGreen.org.
GreenCare for Troops Awareness Week Facts & Figures (See attached infographic)
- 1 – White House Joining Forces Initiative Award
- 10 – The numbers of years GreenCare for Troops has been helping families of deployed military personnel
- 50 – States in which there are registered military families and volunteer contractors
- 2006 – The year GreenCare for Troops was launched
- 5,000 – Number of volunteer contractors that have registered to provide services through GreenCare for Troops
- 10,000 – Number of military families that have registered for GreenCare for Troops since program’s inception
- 150,500 – Estimated number of U.S. military personnel deployed overseas
- 3.6 Million – Number of veterans with a service-related disability needing assistance with day-to-day household and lifestyle assistance services
- $5 million – Estimated value of in-kind services provided to military families and veterans through GCFT since the program’s inception
GreenCare for Troops Awareness Week Social Media Tags
#GCFT2016 / @ProjectEvrGreen / @TheToroCompany
About Project EverGreen
Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Project EverGreen (www.ProjectEverGreen.org) is a national nonprofit organization committed to sharing the healthy benefits of managed green spaces, including lawns and landscapes, sports turf, golf courses, trees and parks. Other programs include: SnowCare for Troops, a sister program to GreenCare for Troops that provides free snow and ice removal services to military families and veterans with service-related disabilities, and “Healthy Turf. Healthy Kids.”™ an initiative that revitalizes athletic fields so children have safer places to play and compete