We are so thrilled to share our impact, progress, and appreciation with you in our 2024 Annual Impact Report!
Tag: free trees
Neighborhood Forest Partners with Futurist Dana Klisanin for Earth Day 2024
February 12th, 2024
Collaboration Inspires Young Climate Activists Through Trees and Books
In honor of Earth Day 2024, Neighborhood Forest joins with acclaimed author and futurist Dana Klisanin to engage and inspire young climate activists.
Every Earth Day, Neighborhood Forest gives free trees to kids through schools, libraries, and youth organizations that register with the program. The nonprofit has even pinned a tree at every location where a child in their program has planted a tree over the past ten years.
This month, when parents and guardians sign their child up for a free tree, they will have the opportunity to purchase additional educational enrichment items, including Dr. Klisanin’s book Future Hack, the captivating first installment of “The Chronicles of G.A.I.A.” series. The highly acclaimed novel emboldens middle-grade students to embrace a growth mindset in the face of crises such as climate change. Every book purchased will fund a tree for a child in the Neighborhood Forest program.
“We are thrilled about our collaboration with Dana and Future Hack to promote our shared mission of inspiring youth environmentalism,” says Vikas Narula, cofounder and CEO of Neighborhood Forest.
Dr. Klisanin adds, “I am equally excited to champion our future generation by joining hands with Neighborhood Forest to support their initiative to provide children with trees and books – immersive real-world educational tools to fuel their minds and bodies.”
About Neighborhood Forest:
Founded in 2010 by Vikas Narula and his wife, Priya Narula, Neighborhood Forest traces its roots back to Vikas’ college days in the early 1990s at Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa. Introduced to a free tree project by David Kidd, Vikas, and his college friends adopted the program, distributing tens of thousands of trees to school children in southeast Iowa.
After relocating to Minneapolis, Vikas reignited his passion for giving trees to schoolchildren when his first son entered kindergarten, leading to the establishment of Neighborhood Forest. Starting with four schools in Minneapolis, the initiative has expanded to encompass over 1,500 schools, libraries, and youth groups in all 50 states across the United States and 5 provinces in Canada.
Every Earth Day, Neighborhood Forest distributes free trees to students nationwide, aiming to extend its reach to every child in North America and, ultimately, worldwide.
They have given over 100,000 kids their very own tree since 2021 and are aiming to reach 1 million children in the next few years.
With new institutions registering with the program every day, raising support for Neighborhood Forest through the current campaign is vital. For additional details, visit www.neighborhoodforest.org or contact info@neighborhoodforest.org.
About Dana Klisanin:
Featured in Forbes as one of the world’s top female futurists, Dana’s multifaceted career spans pioneering work in conscious media and global environmental advocacy. As CEO of Evolutionary Guidance Media and founder of ReWilding: Lab, she advocates for ‘rewilding the human psyche’ to improve environmental and human well-being. Her influential work, advising governments, corporations, and NGOs, includes award-winning research.
Stanford University recently published her theoretical research on resilience and the antifragility mindset in Intersections, Reinforcements, Cascades: Proceedings of the 2023 Stanford Existential Risks Conference.
About Future Hack (Chronicles of G.A.I.A. series):
Dr. Dana Klisanin introduces Future Hack, the inaugural book in the “Chronicles of G.A.I.A.” series published by Genius Cat Books. With a mission to inspire young climate activists and immerse them in the world of anticipatory thinking, the series speaks to environmental activism, education, and empowering the next generation. The kid heroes in this innovative series are recruited by the Global Anticipatory Intelligence Agency (aka: G.A.I.A.) to work on behalf of our fragile planet.
Donor Spotlight – The Uldrich Family
Why We Contribute to Neighborhood Forest: Planting Seeds of a Better Tomorrow
The Uldrich family, of Minneapolis, has a deep-rooted love for trees (pun intended). It’s a love that goes beyond themselves and into a hope of a better future for generations to come. We asked Jack Uldrich, a well-recognized global futurist, speaker, and author, “Why does your family give to Neighborhood Forest?” His response was, “The short, simple answer is that our family loves trees. (As the photos below attest.) At a deeper level, however, our love of trees transcends time.”
A Question that Touched Their Hearts
The Uldrich family’s story begins with a question posed by the renowned Jonas Salk, the developer of one of the first polio vaccines: “Are we being good ancestors?” This question struck a chord deep within their hearts, leading them to contemplate their legacy and the impact they were leaving on the planet.
Their honest reflection yielded a qualified “yes,” recognizing their efforts to “walk as lightly as possible upon the Earth” but acknowledging that we should, could, and must be doing more.
From Acorns to Oak Trees
Three years ago, the Uldrich family embarked on a journey to plant trees. It started with collecting acorns in late summer and germinating them over the winter in their basement refrigerator. They nurtured the oak saplings through spring and summer, preparing them for a new home in the fall, where they would be safe from threats like squirrels and deer.
Reestablishing an Oak Savannah
Two years ago they began visiting Jack’s alma mater, St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota for few days every spring to plant Oak trees in an effort to reestablish an Oak savannah on the campus. This act serves a dual purpose: leaving a lasting physical legacy for future generations and mitigating, in a small way, the ravishing effects of climate change.
Joining Neighborhood Forest
Then, last year, the Uldrich family learned about Neighborhood Forest and the organization’s dedication to planting trees through the hands of children. They were thrilled to become sustaining members wanting to amplify their tree planting efforts and recognizing that more needed to be done especially due their family’s carbon footprint, which is larger than average due to Jack’s business travels. By supporting Neighborhood Forest, they found a way to help offset their carbon emissions and expand their tree planting efforts.
Jack shared, “Still, we know we must do even more if future generations are to have any hope of a better future, and we are eager to help Neighborhood Forest grow into a thriving organization that spans all of North America–and beyond.”
Living by a Beautiful Proverb
The Uldrich family’s love for trees and their dedication to planting them is beautifully encapsulated by an ancient Greek proverb: “Societies thrive when old people plant trees under whose shade they will never sit.”
“In short, we love Neighborhood Forest because it is living this proverb and, in the process, making the world a better place today and for future generations.”
A Call to Action
The Uldrich family’s story is an inspiring example of how one family’s love for trees can lead to meaningful change. They invite you to join them in supporting Neighborhood Forest or even becoming sustaining members. In closing, Jack shared one last quote that their family loves and aims to live by, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years. The next best time is today.”
Jack, Cindy, Meghan and Sean Uldrich
Minneapolis, Minnesota
2023 Annual Impact Report
We are so thrilled to share our impact, progress, and appreciation with you in our 2023 Annual Impact Report!
Neighborhood Forest Recognized as Top Tree Planting Charity
Neighborhood Forest has been recognized as a top tree-planting charity by Impactful Ninja – a leading influencer and content creator centered around sustainable living and climate action.
Neighborhood Forest has been recognized as a distinguished tree-planting charity as well as a leader in environmental education.
We are honored and touched to be named alongside many other great organizations doing important work in the world, including Living Lands and Waters, The Jane Goodall Institute, and The International Tree Foundation.
We know and believe that this recognition will continue to help us reach more children as we spread joy, beauty, and goodness through tree planting and youth engagement.
Thank you, Impactful Ninja!!
Coordinator Program Guide – Guidelines & FAQs
Hello Coordinators!
Please click through our Coordinator Program Guide below to learn more about our program and answer some commonly asked questions.
Thank you for helping us spread joy, beauty, and goodness!
Parent FAQs
Click here for a downloadable version of the Parent FAQs
What kind of tree will we be getting?
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- Neighborhood Forest aims to provide native trees in all the regions we serve. Last year we gave away 11 different species. We tend to provide species on a state-by-state basis and like to provide different species each year to provide variety and diversity of trees.
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When will my tree be arriving and will it be shipped directly to my address?
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- We aim to have the trees arrive to your school, library, or youth group leader in time for Earth Day. If you are ordering your free tree from your child’s school, your child should bring the tree home when it is distributed at their school around Earth Day (April 22).
- If you are ordering your tree through your library, you will need to pick up your tree from your library when it arrives. You are responsible for contacting your library and arranging for the pick up of your tree around Earth Day.
- While the library should be contacting you about pick up details, we encourage you to be proactive. If you are ordering your tree through a scout group, we encourage you to contact the scout leader about pick up details around Earth Day.
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How do I care for my tree to ensure that it grows and thrives?
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- We encourage you to walk through this tree planting guide for best practices on caring for your tree.
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What if I don’t have a yard or place to plant my tree? Can I plant my tree in a pot and leave it indoors?
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- Ideally, you want to plant your tree in the ground, outside, in a permanent location where you can watch and care for its growth. These trees are accustomed to being outside in the elements, so if you do keep it in a pot for a year or two, be sure to keep it outside.
- We are in the process of developing an alternative indoor plant program for kids that do not have a yard or live in apartments. We hope to make this option available in the near future!
- In the meantime, if you do not have a yard to plant your tree, we encourage you to plant your tree with a willing friend or family member who has a yard.
How does Neighborhood Forest fund all of these free trees?
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- Our program is completely free and is funded by generous individuals, organizations, and businesses.
- Neighborhood Forest is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN: 86-2929372) dedicated to giving kids their very own tree every Earth Day.
How can I donate?
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- You can donate directly on our website, our fundraising campaign page, or a check can be sent directly to:
Neighborhood Forest
5244 Zenith Ave South
Minneapolis, MN 55410
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- All donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law and are not an exchange for any goods or services.
How can I offset my carbon footprint through Neighborhood Forest?
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- The average American consumes 7 trees per year in wood and paper products and emits 20 tons of CO2 annually. One tree will sequester 1 ton of CO2 in its lifetime (on average). So, to go carbon neutral via trees, a person has to plant 20 trees for every year they are on the planet. Factoring in estimated tree survival rates and annual wood and paper consumption, we recommend planting 50 trees per year per person to offset an individual’s tree and carbon footprint – thus the 50 trees x $5 = $250 / year or $25 / month membership cost calculation.
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How can I get connected?
Updated 7/28/23
Neighborhood Forest Inaugurates Neighborhood Forest Day – April 26th
April 26th, 2022
Happy Neighborhood Forest Day!
This year, Neighborhood Forest introduced April 26th as Neighborhood Forest Day – A Festival of (Free) Trees celebrating kids, trees, and the planet.
Neighborhood Forest Day falls in the heart of Earth Week (April 22-30) – four days after Earth Day (April 22) and a few days before Arbor Day (which is observed on the last Friday in April).
Neighborhood Forest Day is a day of celebration – recognizing the goodness and generosity of humanity – a celebration of abundance, unity, connection, and joy.
Trees have a way of bringing people together. Neighborhood Forest is serving people in red states and blue states, rural and urban settings, and people from every race, religion, age group, and socio-economic demographic represented in our country.
We don’t discriminate on any basis. Just as the tree provides shade to all who seek it, Neighborhood Forest provides free trees to all children.
This Earth Week, Neighborhood Forest gave 40,000 kids in 48 states (including Canada) their very own tree to plant. Since 2010, we have reached over 250,000 families, over 900 institutions, and given over 90,000 kids their very own tree to plant!
Our goal is to reach every child in North America and eventually the world.
Join us in our celebration!
