Five Fall Green Grants Awarded
As we continue to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Keep Virginia Beautiful, we’re happy to announce five Fall Green Grants were awarded to our local affiliates and allied partners! These organizations work hard year-round to keep their communities clean and green. Here are the awards for this special Fall Green Grants Program:
Upper Tennessee River Roundtable, $1,000 for Recycling
UTRR plans to conduct its second Fix-it-Fair for the citizens of Russell County. The first fair, held in the fall of 2022, was a rousing success. The event will have six “fixers” available: mending/sewing, furniture repair, small appliance repair, evaluation of electronics, and jewelry repair. The fixers will offer to repair the items free of charge to the citizens.
The purpose of the Fair is to encourage people to repair items they already have, instead of throwing them away and buying a new product. That’s a great way to recycle and reuse!
Keep Suffolk Beautiful, $500 for Litter Prevention
KSB launched a successful litter kit lending program with Suffolk Public Libraries several years ago. It allows residents with library cards to “check out” litter kits (for 4 people) from each of their public library locations. The Library Lending Litter Kit program is widely used, and is in need of repair or replacement of supplies, as well as a fresh logo and marketing to reach additional library patrons.
Having supplies for a litter cleanup is a great way for families or neighbors to safely remove litter from the landscape. If you’re a resident of Suffolk, we encourage you to go to your local library and “Check it out!”
Keep James City County Beautiful, $1,000 for Community Beautification
KJCCB currently works with Master Gardeners on two gardens on County property: the Pollinator Garden at Veterans Park, and the Water-Wise Demonstration Garden at the Human Services Building. KJCCB will use grant funds to purchase plant markers for both gardens and an educational sign about the Water Wise garden, to replace an outdated sign with no information.
Helping the public to identify and learn more about native plants is a great way to increase the number of backyards that include native plants for enjoyment by pollinators and neighbors!
askHRgreen, $1,000 for Litter Prevention
askHRgreen.org is a public awareness program of the 17 cities and counties of Hampton Roads that encourages environmental stewardship among all residents in southeastern Virginia. They host hundreds of small local cleanups throughout the year. A lack of litter grabbers and other cleanup supplies has been a barrier in the past to recruiting volunteers. Funds from this grant will be used to purchase 150 litter grabbers and 40 five-gallon buckets to create 40 additional litter kits for public use.
In a coastal region like Hampton Roads, litter on the ground almost always travels into a waterway becoming marine debris and harming natural systems. The litter kits will enable volunteers to clean up land areas and water ways!
Clean Valley Council, $1,000, for Recycling
CVC will host their first “Reuse it and Repair it Fair,” where residents with lightly damaged or broken items will connect with local skilled volunteers to fix them. Items such as electronics, bicycles, clothing, shoes, small appliances, musical instruments, athletic equipment, and jewelry will be accepted. Grant funds will be used to purchase basic tools and supplies, and will include activities for children, enabling them to learn how to accomplish simple repairs.
Entrance to the Fair will be free. Local nonprofit partners will be on site as well, offering their services to the community.
Congratulations to our Fall Green Grant Awardees! This brings our total to 35 awards for Green Grants projects and programs during 2023 – which means we’re halfway to our goal of supporting 70 community projects to celebrate our 70th Anniversary.
We’ll be announcing more information soon about the remaining 35 Green Gifts that we’re giving away this fall!