The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation (NNJCF) seeks volunteers to install a community rain garden, as well as to paint a community mural at Boost the Block Goes Green on Saturday, June 1. The rain date is scheduled for June 8. The event takes place at Hackensack High School, located at 135 First St. in Hackensack, New Jersey.
Landscape designer Dave Chalek will work with volunteers to install the rain garden. Photo Credit: Dave Chalek
The NNJCF welcomes volunteers to help with these activities:
- Work with landscape artist Dave Chalek, owner of Sprout Farms and Gardens, to plant, as well as move plants. Volunteers do not need previous gardening experience.
- Provide information about green infrastructure or environmental justice. Volunteers will also be provided with the details to disseminate to the public.
Artist Amrisa Niranjan will also work with the volunteers to paint the community mural. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amrisa Niranjan
- Assist artist Amrisa Niranjan with painting a mural.
- Support other volunteers.
- Take photos.
To begin, the installation of the rain garden takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The painting of the mural runs from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
In addition, the NNJCF invites youngsters to participate. Children, under age 14, must be accompanied by an older guardian. Volunteers may sign up here to participate in the installation of the rain garden and/or to paint the mural.
Working together, the NNJCF and the Hackensack Public Schools produce the rain garden. Furthermore, Greater Bergen Community Action partners with the NNJCF to produce Boost the Block Goes Green.
For further information about the rain garden installation and the painting of the mural, contact Leonardo Vazquez by e-mail or 201-568-5608, x2.
Green Infrastructure for Environmental Justice
Site of the rain garden at Hackensack High School. Photo Credit: Google Earth
The development, as well as the installation of the rain garden are a part of the NNJCF’s Green Infrastructure for Environmental Justice program. The program seeks to reduce flooding, while also improving environmental conditions for residents in central Hackensack and other parts of the city affected by flooding.
Donations Appreciated
The NNJCF seeks the public’s support to create and install the rain garden. To date, sponsors of the rain garden include Champion Sponsor Suburban Consulting Engineers and also Booster Sponsor The Jefferson/Garden Communities. Funders and supporters of the project include TD Charitable Foundation, M&T Charitable Foundation, The Funders Network, PSE&G, Columbia Bank Foundation and individual donors.
Make a donation of any size online. Contributions may also be sent by check and made out to ‘The Northern N.J. Community Foundation’. Enter ‘Hackensack Schools Rain Garden’ in the memo line. Send checks to the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation, 1 University Plaza, Suite 128, Hackensack, New Jersey 07601. For further information about the NNJCF, call 201-568-5608 or send an e-mail.
