National Volunteer Day

Pitch in and Help the Troops on
National Volunteer Day

November 17 is National Volunteer Day and if you’re looking for a way to help, Project EverGreen has the solution: GreenCare for Troops!  The program connects volunteers who can do lawn and landscape care with military families who have a major breadwinner serving overseas in the Middle East.

This is the program’s second year, following a groundbreaking launch in 2006 when over 2,500 families signed up for the program. The program continues to expand to aid over 4,700 families who have requested help from GreenCare for Troops.

Den Gardner, executive director of Project EverGreen, says the roots of this generous offer go back to the basic mission of his organization. “Quite simply,” he says, “we are working to emphasize the benefits that green spaces provide to our environment, economy and lifestyles. At the same time, we realized that, for many service families, lawn and landscape care can become a burden when there are concerns for the safety of a loved one overseas.”

This led to Project EverGreen’s formation of GreenCare for Troops and a call for help to lawn and landscape contractors and volunteers nationwide.  “Right now, we have more than 1,200 volunteers, including some as young as 12 years old. We’re always looking for more volunteers to come forward for this great program.”

“There is no cost or obligation to families who apply to participate in GreenCare for Troops,” Gardner said. “Project EverGreen makes every effort to link families in need with local lawn and landscape firms or community volunteers who have indicated a desire to help. However, since this is strictly a volunteer program, we cannot guarantee assistance to everyone who applies.”

According to Gardner, the appreciation expressed by service personnel and their families has been most gratifying. “We even had one soldier serving in Iraq ask us to send him a Project EverGreen banner to display—and we were happy to oblige.”