STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- Motivated by the need caused by the devastation from
Hurricane Harvey and the threat of Hurricane Irma, Keep America
Beautiful, the nation's iconic community improvement nonprofit
organization, today launched the Community Restoration and
Resiliency Fund. Lowe's, a long-time national sponsor of Keep
America Beautiful, has agreed to become a founding member of the
fund with a donation of more than $125,000. Individuals and businesses can donate
now at act.kab.org/KABfund.
More than two dozen local Keep America Beautiful Affiliates and
scores of other local partners serve communities with millions of
people directly impacted by Hurricane Harvey. In addition to two of
the organization's State Affiliates, Keep Texas Beautiful and Keep
Louisiana Beautiful, local Keep America Beautiful Affiliates
serving impacted communities include those in: Alvin, Angleton, Corpus
Christi, Cuero,
Dickinson, Galveston, Houston, Katy, Lake
Jackson, Pearland,
Port Aransas, Richwood, Sugar
Land and Victoria, Texas as
well as Calcasieu Parish and
Lake Charles, Louisiana, among
others.
"As the devastating impact of Hurricane Harvey became clear —
and with the dangerous threat of Hurricane Irma — we've been
discussing our role and that of our Affiliates in helping
communities recover and rebuild," said Helen Lowman, president and CEO, Keep America
Beautiful. "For generations, Keep America Beautiful and its
Affiliates have supported critical public space restoration
projects that help remedy property damaged or destroyed by natural
disasters."
Initially, donations to the Community Restoration and
Resiliency Fund will benefit Keep America Beautiful Affiliates
and other partner organizations which serve communities directly
affected by Hurricane Harvey and Irma. The fund will provide
immediate and long-term support for initial and ongoing cleanup
efforts and to help rebuild vital public spaces: parks, greenways,
community gateways, Main Street/downtown areas, open spaces and
more. Funds will help improve resiliency physically — as green
infrastructure — and socially — to build community.
"Public spaces are the heart of a community, providing safe,
welcoming and beautiful places for neighbors to gather, love, laugh
and heal during the long journey towards a 'new normal' for
survivors and the community at-large. Cleaning and restoring
beautiful public spaces — and improving their resiliency for the
future — can play an important role in the overall recovery of
a city, town or neighborhood and help to strengthen a sense of
community," added Lowman.
Through the fund, Keep America Beautiful will provide financial
aid, technical support, in-kind donations and other resources to
Keep America Beautiful Affiliates and other community partners
whose communities and residents will be living with the aftermath
of widespread devastation for months and years to come.
Longer term, the fund will offer other communities beyond those
impacted by Hurricane Harvey and Irma with financial means,
technical support and resources to renovate and rebuild public
spaces after natural disasters or other unanticipated events or
before they occur to improve physical resilience.
In addition to Lowe's, other corporations donating to the Keep
America Beautiful Community Restoration and Resiliency Fund
include Dickinson's Witch Hazel
Skincare, Keurig Green Mountain, Inc., and Santa Fe Natural Tobacco
Company.
Donate now at act.kab.org/KABfund.
Keep America Beautiful is proud to be recognized as a Charity
Navigator 4-Star Charity, a Guidestar Gold Participant, and a
Charity Watch Top-Rated Charity.
About Keep America Beautiful
Keep America Beautiful,
the nation's iconic community improvement nonprofit organization,
inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve
and beautify their community environment. Established in 1953, we
strive to End Littering, Improve Recycling and Beautify America's
Communities. We believe everyone has a right to live in a clean,
green and beautiful community, and shares a responsibility to
contribute to that vision.
Behavior change – steeped in education, research and behavioral
science – is the cornerstone of Keep America Beautiful. We empower
generations of community stewards with volunteer programs, hands-on
experiences, curricula, practical advice and other resources to
deliver measurable environmental, economic and social benefits. The
organization is driven by more than 600 state and local Affiliates,
millions of volunteers, and the support of corporate partners,
social and civic service organizations, academia, municipalities
and government officials. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
and YouTube. Donate and take action at kab.org.
Media Contacts:
Mike Rosen / Larry Kaufman
Keep America Beautiful
203.659.3008 / 203.659.3014
mrosen@kab.org / lkaufman@kab.org
View original
content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/keep-america-beautiful-launches-community-restoration-and-resiliency-fund-300514876.html
SOURCE Keep America Beautiful