Today, Casey Trees Turns Ten!

Cue the eco-friendly confetti drop. Hug a loved one. Give your pet an extra treat. It’s time to celebrate.

Our friends at Bare Tree Apparel are marking this milestone by offering a very special gift – a hand printed, limited-edition tote bag - to our friends who become Tree Champions by May 1.

Made from recycled cotton, this eco-friendly tote is perfect for trips to the farmer’s market, library, or a stroll around town and it conveys what we and you consider important – adding trees across D.C. And you will be doing just that when you sign up to be a Tree Champion.

Tree Champions are among our most loyal and dedicated supporters. Their monthly gift of $25 or more – just 82 cents a day – provides us with steady, reliable support to continue providing trees and educational programming at no cost to schools, public parks, recreation centers and other deserving institutions.

When you give monthly, you'll join a community of supporters working tirelessly to forge a green legacy in our nation’s capital for future generations to enjoy. 

Hurry! This gift offer is limited to the first 50 new Tree Champions.

Casey Trees Announces Partnership with Recoup Helping You Save Money – and Trees

A new year and a new partnership for Casey Trees! We are excited to announce that are partnering with Recoup, an online marketplace where people can buy brands they want while supporting causes they care about.

How It Works:

1. Sign up for Recoup to receive great deals from your favorite local businesses. Using this hyperlink (http://www.recoup.com/org/CA200) will automatically designate Casey Trees as the nonprofit you want all of your purchases to support. If you are already a member, log in and choose Casey Trees as the cause you want to support.
2. Purchase great daily deals and save money for yourself or on a gift for others.
3. Choose your donation amount. Recoup automatically donates 10 percent of each purchase to the nonprofit of your choice. You can also increase your donation amount by converting all or part of the rebate value.
4. Enjoy the great deal and satisfaction of doing good in your community!

Support what you love by buying what you want. Sign up for Recoup today and help us continue restoring the tree canopy of the nation’s capital.

To donate directly to Casey Trees, please visit our website.

New Year's Resolution Already Failing You? Let Casey Trees Help!

It's already the second week of 2012 which means you've probably already given up on that fool-proof New Year's resolution you swore to yourself you'd stick to.

You know – the annual lose weight, quit smoking, exercise more aspiration that lasts just a few weeks before the temptation and stresses of everyday life set in? Yes, that one.

Well this year, why don't you try something different?

More and more people are trading in their yearly self-improvement resolutions, and instead are looking to make the New Year a charitable one. Think about giving your New Year's resolution a much-needed makeover and add “giving back” to your list of goals for 2012. It's an easy goal to keep and more times than not can give you the personal satisfaction those hours on a treadmill couldn't.

At Casey Trees we have a number of opportunities that can help you achieve your New Year's Resolution, and at the same time help our city and your neighbors. Here are a few ways for you to reach your 2012 charitable goal:

• Donate/Become a Sponsor. As a non-profit, Casey Trees relies on the generosity of people like you to add trees to our city's parks, schools, and neighborhoods throughout the year. Consider making a tax-deductible donation this year. You can also make a larger gift and sponsor a Tree Planting event ($2,500) or one of our High School Summer Crew members ($4,000) and make a difference in a young person's life this year.
• Volunteer. Casey Trees offers volunteer opportunities for people of all ages and skill levels from our tree planting events in the spring and fall, to our tree care programs, and advocacy work. Those looking to have a more proactive world should consider becoming a Citizen Forester. You can register for our volunteer events online through our Events Calendar.
• Take a Class. Casey Trees hosts free year-round educational courses on topics ranging from basic tree biology to proper tree care to community advocacy training classes. Attending one of our classes also qualifies you as a Casey Trees Citizen Forester.

Try something a little different and join Casey Trees this New Year and make that 2012 resolution a success.

Holiday Giving Brings Good Tidings for All and Tax Breaks for You

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t make your charitable contributions for the sole reason of earning tax breaks in the coming year. In my experience, giving almost always comes from the heart, not the head – it allows people to feel closer to their community while making a difference in a positive way. That being said, there is no reason you shouldn’t benefit from your own philanthropy this holiday season.

As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, all donations made to Casey Trees are deductible as charitable contributions on your Federal Income Tax Return. Your tax deduction is received in the year your gift is fully processed, so making a gift by this December 31 means that your contribution is deductible this year – so give today!

To make your gift count for 2011, please do the following:

Give online:

Make your gift securely online before 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2011. Be sure to give yourself time to fill out the online form. You will receive a preliminary receipt that will confirm your gift was made prior to January 1st.

Give by mail:

Make sure your gift is dated and postmarked no later than December 31, 2011. Make checks payable to Casey Trees. Mail checks to:

Casey Trees
c/o Development
3030 12th Street NE
Washington, D.C.  20017

With your help in these last few weeks of December, we will have the necessary support and funding needed to continue our efforts to restore the tree canopy of our nation’s capital for years to come.

If you have any questions regarding your donation, please contact Mark DeSantis, Development Associate, at mdesantis@caseytrees.org or 202.833.9125.

 

Live Green Holiday Happy Hour Tonight

Get into the holiday spirit and go green on Thursday, December 15th! Live Green members can head to Café Green for Live Green’s Holiday Happy Hour!

From 5-7 p.m., Live Green will be there along with Honi Borden, author of The Day I Became a Superhero, as well as HawaH, editor of The Poetry of Yoga, who will both be signing copies of their books. Enjoy drink specials from Café Green's organic bar, and of course the 5% discount on all purchases at Café Green that Live Green members receive.

If you do not have a Live Green membership, head on over to www.livegreen.net/join and type in the referral code Casey TreesLG to earn Casey Trees a $10 donation. Don’t miss out on this and other Live Green events like the Art + Wine Bazaar and the GiveWell Dine-Out Night, not to mention the great everyday savings that come with a Live Green membership!

Holiday Gift Ideas from Casey Trees

Not sure what to get your friends and family this holiday season? Lucky for you, we have some great ideas some eco-friendly presents. Here are just a few great gift ideas for the tree hugger on your list:

• Casey Trees T-Shirt: Our comfy, cozy graphic tees are the perfect present for anyone. Go online and get yours today for just $25.
• Live Green Membership: For just $18 get discounts at all your favorite eco-friendly stores around DC. Use the referral code Casey TreesLG when signing up and LiveGreen will donate $10 to Casey Trees!
• Tree Dedication: Honor your friends and family by dedicating a Casey Tree to them this holiday season. Dedications are listed online and the honoree receives an acknowledgment certificate as well as a site map of their tree’s location.
• RiverSmart Homes Shade Tree: Have a friend looking to add a tree to their yard? Sign them up for the Casey Trees RiverSmart Homes program and we’ll provide a home consultation and recommend tree species before purchasing, transporting, and planting each tree for just $50.

Our "I Dig Trees" t-shirt design.

It's National Philanthropy Day! Celebrate with Casey Trees

We are happy to say that we’re only six weeks into our fall Community Tree Planting season and the efforts of our staff and volunteers are already showing. Sixteen new trees have helped make Boys Town Washington, D.C. a more welcoming destination for youth in crisis to seek help; fruit trees have made Green SEED Community Garden a model for urban agriculture; and with over 40 shade trees planted, eight local schools now have greener outdoor spaces for their students to enjoy. Overall, more than 300 trees have been planted so far this fall season!

However, at Casey Trees, our work is never really done - there are always more trees to be planted. But we need your help to keep going. Today is National Philanthropy Day, a country wide celebration highlighting the importance of the generosity of people like you who make it possible for organizations like ours to continue constantly working for a stronger community and a healthier planet for everyone. So please consider making your own philanthropic contribution in support of our work and canopy restoration efforts in recognition and tribute of all the generous people whose donations makes nonprofit work possible.
 
We have certainly accomplished a lot this year, but there is so much more to do. We could not have come as far as we have without your help, and we cannot go further without it. Please make a tax-deductible donation of any amount to Casey Trees today and join us in our work to plant trees, build communities, and restore our beautiful city’s urban canopy.

Re-Tree DC With the CFC

Are you a federal employee? Do you love the work we do at Casey Trees? Well if so, take this opportunity to join your friends and coworkers and help bring trees to your community through the annual Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). This year marks the 50th anniversary of the CFC - the only authorized workplace charitable giving drive for Federal employees. And while the campaign officially began on September 1st, you have until December 15th to support one of more than 4,000 approved local, national, and international charities.

For the fourth year in a row, Casey Trees is a participating member in the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area (CFCNCA) - the local CFC campaign for Federal employees in the Washington Metropolitan Area and the largest workplace giving campaign in the world. And as a celebration of this 50th anniversary, the campaign leaders have set a 2011 fundraising goal of $67.2 million. We’re calling on all our friends in the federal government to help reach that goal by donating to Casey Trees through the CFC today!

If you are a federal employee and want to give through the CFC, all you have to do is fill out a donation pledge form designating a chosen organization and the desired amount you want to give. To make your donation to Casey Trees and help bring trees to your neighborhood, all you have to do is choose CFC #24598, and select your amount – any donation makes a huge difference.

Every gift we receive through CFC will go towards our tree planting, education, and design initiatives that help the environment and restore DC’s urban canopy. Casey Trees has already planted over 1,500 trees this year alone. This number is impressive, but with your support alongside your family, friends, colleagues, and coworkers, Casey Trees can continue to grow and plant trees in greater numbers in more schools, street corners, parks and other locations around the city.

By pledging support, you are making the first step towards establishing a green legacy in our Nation’s Capital to be enjoyed for generations to come. Choose CFC #24598 today for a healthier and more beautiful District of Columbia.

Casey Trees, Area Non-Profits Join Forces to Raise Big Bucks on Nov. 9th

Calling all Casey Trees fans: we need your support! 

On Wednesday, November 9th Casey Trees will be participating in the first annual Give to the Max Day: Greater Washington, a massive one-day regional online fundraiser that will unite local Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC communities to support nonprofits serving the area. Starting at midnight, Casey Trees will join hundreds of other local organizations in hopes of attracting 10,000 new donors and raise at least $3 million. But with your help on November 9th, a simple donation could mean an even bigger reward for Casey Trees.

As part of Give to the Max Day: Greater Washington, nonprofits large and small can earn their share of $125,000 in cash awards, including up to $25,000 for nonprofits with the most individual donors and the most money donated.  The individuals who bring the most donors on behalf of their cause can add an extra $10,000 to their donation. A prize like this would make all the difference in achieving our tree planting goals for next year – so please consider donating to Casey Trees on November 9th.

Donating is easy.  Simply go to the Casey Trees page on the Give to the Max web site, and choose the amount you’d like to donate. Remember – your donation only counts on November 9th so be sure to wait until then to give!

Join your family, friends, and neighbors in raising money for the organizations that do work in your area. Together we can reach this goal and help our community – and Casey Trees – make a difference.

Starbucks Keeps Casey Trees Warm This Fall Season

We know our volunteer work is fun and rewarding, but we also realize that being ready to plant trees at 9:00AM on a Saturday morning can be tough – especially if it’s cold or rainy (or in the case of this weekend, snowing!). Luckily for our volunteers, for the fourth year in a row Starbucks is a contributing sponsor for the 2011 fall Community Tree Planting season! At most tree planting events, you’ll find Starbucks coffee at the Casey Trees registration table. Volunteers can help themselves to a hot cup of joe to wake up, stay warm and get moving.

Starbucks’ generosity provides a reminder of what goes into each Casey Trees planting event. Our grassroots approach to beautifying this city means that both our applicants, and Casey Trees, rely heavily on our volunteers for much of our labor needs in planting trees. In turn, Casey Trees provides groups with the tools, training, technical assistance, and of course the trees, at no cost to them. In order to continue the success of our Community Tree Planting program, support like this from our neighborhood partners and friends is invaluable.

To learn how you can help out, visit our donation page to make a financial or in-kind contribution for an upcoming tree planting. Or, as always, you can get involved by volunteering and lending a hand at one of our many events. The bottom line is, whether you’re one of the world’s biggest coffee shops, or just one individual, there is no shortage of ways in which you can help support us in restoring the tree canopy of our Nation’s Capital.

Live Green and Casey Trees Partner Up to Save You Money

Looking to save money while helping out in your community this fall?  Well you’re in luck! For a limited time Casey Trees is partnering up with Live Green to make eco-friendly living a little more easy, fun, and affordable in the DC Metro Area.

From now until the end of the year, for every new Live Green membership sold, a donation of $10 will be made to Casey Trees and our tree planting initiatives.  By going to www.livegreen.net/join and typing in the referral code: CaseyTreesLG you will join the thousands who already enjoy the discounts and deals offered daily around the city, while helping us add some trees to the District!


Live Green is a DC-based organization that partners with eco-friendly businesses and provides them with exposure to their network of environmentally-conscious members who get exclusive discounts on green products, services, or events. A Live Green membership includes a Live Green discount card that you can use at over 50 participating businesses throughout the DC Metro Area.  Since each company they endorse is carefully screened based on their affordability, quality, and sustainable business practices, you can be sure you’re shopping responsibly and supporting socially conscious businesses – all while saving some money.

This fall season make the jump to go "green" while saving some “green” and see what a Live Green membership can do for you.

Washington Nationals Dream Foundation Brings Trees to Chamberlain Elementary

On Thursday October 13th students at Chamberlain Elementary in Southeast DC got a special surprise from Casey Trees: four new trees to be planted on their school grounds. 

Despite a few clouds and a bit of rainy weather, 11 students from second and third grade classrooms came out to plant one river birch, one American basswood, one American hornbeam and one sweetgum alongside faculty and a handful of Casey Trees staff members. Even a few eager pre-k students, who are learning about trees in class, came out with their teachers to watch the planting unfold and share their knowledge with us all.

This planting event was especially meaningful to Casey Trees, however, because of one very special partner: The Washington Nationals Dream Foundation. Thanks in part to a generous donation from the Dream Foundation, Casey Trees was able to provide Chamberlain students with a new, outdoor natural classroom – one that they created with their own hands.

Casey Trees staff member, Jabbari Brew, gives Chamberlain students
safety tips before their October 13th planting.

The Washington Nationals Dream Foundation, the charitable arm of the Washington Nationals Baseball Club, is dedicated to forging community partnerships that improve the lives of area children and their families. Established in 2007, the Foundation’s cornerstone programs focus on children’s education, health and recreation.

From all of us at Casey Trees, we’d like to send a big thank you to the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation for their help in bringing trees to Chamberlain Elementary School this fall. Whether these students will be enjoying a long recess or an impromptu outdoor science class, this donation will help to greatly increase the quality of the time they spend at school.

To learn how you can help our school community tree planting initiatives, visit our website or contact Mark DeSantis, Development Associate, at 202.833.9125.

Help Bring Trees to D.C.'s Schools

At Casey Trees, we understand that children are products of their environments, and that’s why re-treeing our city’s schools continues to be a paramount goal of our organization. Whether it’s a saucer magnolia at H.D. Cooke Elementary, or an American holly at Collegiate Academy, this fall will bring new trees – and new experiences – to various school campuses across our nation’s capital.

Starting October 1st, Casey Trees will work with students and their teachers at nine different D.C. schools to not only plant and maintain new trees, but also to educate and engage students in the work they are doing. Our tree planting events show students that hard works begets positive results, bringing them together in a hands-on, positive environment. But we can’t do this without the support of our community.

Tree planting at The Lowell School sponsored by PEPCO Holdings, Inc.

By donating and sponsoring a tree planting today, you can ensure that students and schools around D.C. will get the trees they need to create a safe and natural environment for all to enjoy. Since 2002, donors like you have helped to beautify schools such as Browne Junior High and the Lowell School. Our sponsors’ generosity has helped to make these campuses more welcoming and peaceful places for students to spend their time. We believe a beautiful environment creates a sense of well-being in which students can focus on their studies, rather than the often hectic world outside their schools.

Help add a tree to a school this fall by making a tax-deductible donation securely online now. The cost to purchase and plant a tree is $250 per tree but donations of any amount are welcome. To sponsor a school Community Tree Planting, contact Mark DeSantis at development@caseytrees.org or 202.349.3470.

Revolution Cycles Keeps Water By-Cycle Program Rolling

Casey Trees’ success in re-treeing D.C. is largely due to volunteer support. Each year, thousands of youth and adults donate their time and talents to plant and care for trees across the District. We are also fortunate to have individuals, businesses and foundations who support our programs and initiatives with generous financial and in-kind gifts. These gifts are especially meaningful when they come at a time of great need. Clarendon-based Revolution Cycles is one such partner who recently came to our aid.

When a street bike from our Water By-Cycle (WBC) fleet was stolen, Revolution Cycles stepped forward and donated a new Trek 700 7-speed street bike for our use. The donation of the bike meant our Summer Crew could continue caring for trees in parts of the city difficult to navigate by truck. Because of Revolution Cycles, our WBC team has "touched" more than 1,875 trees since June 22. By the end of the session, we expect the WBC fleet to have watered, weeded and mulched more than 2,600 trees. We thank Revolution Cycles for its donation, valuing our mission and helping to establish a green legacy in the District.

Our new Trek 700. Thanks!

Do you share Revolution Cycles’ philanthropic spirit? Consider sponsoring a fall Community Tree Planting event, making a financial or in-kind (product or service) donation or volunteering at an upcoming event.

Fall CTP Season Recap

Met Branch Trail CTP 12-11-10

WOW! This fall, with the help of almost 1,000 volunteers and Citizen Foresters, Casey Trees planted more than 450 trees across the District through our flagship Community Tree Planting (CTP) program. Combined with our spring CTP plantings, there are 851 new trees in DC.

Highlights from the fall season included Safe Shores on Oct. 23 and the Metropolitan Branch Trail on Dec. 11. Deals for Deeds sponsored the CTP at Safe Shores and helped add 37 trees to the advocacy center's campus. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, with funding from the Coca-Cola Foundation, sponsored the planting of 29 trees along the popular Metropolitan Branch Trail.

Consider joining the ranks of these generous organizations and sponsor a CTP event or make a year-end donation of any amount to support our work. Your charitable gift will make a real difference.

Check out all the locations for all the newly planted trees - and those from past seasons - on our interactive online Casey Trees Map. You can search by tree species, event name or planting location. 

We have received a record number of CTP applicants for spring 2011 so rest up and get ready to plant with us again starting in March. Sign up to receive our e-newsletter so you know when the planting schedule is published.

Contribute to Casey Trees Through the CFC

Are you a Federal government employee? At the end of this year, you have a chance to give back directly through the Combined Federal Campaign, a great annual workplace charity campaign for federal employees. If you want to donate to Casey Trees, it's really easy - our CFC code is 24598, which you can enter on your CFC pledge form. Any amount you choose to give would be greatly appreciated. Your financial contribution will directly support our innovative tree planting and education programs.

The deadline for pledging is December 15. Get in touch with us or the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area (the CFC for the DC region) if you have any questions, and remember that the CFC code for Casey Trees is 24598.