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Editor’s Note: “Time for Some Good News” is a feature that spotlights the good deeds, great people and positive stories in the landscape industry. If you have your own good news to share, reach out to Seth Jones at sjones@northcoastmedia.net or Scott Hollister at shollister@northcoastmedia.net.
Bruce Allentuck credits his parents for creating the spirit of philanthropy that has been a core tenet of his company, Allentuck Landscaping in Rockville, Md., since its founding in 1986.
“My parents set the example and did tons of community involvement,” Allentuck explains. “And just growing up that way, (giving back to) our community has just always been really important, and we’ve always been very involved in it. It was just the way we were raised, so that set a good example for us.”
Considering how dedicated the full-service residential landscaping company has been to those efforts, Allentuck’s parents have a lot to be proud of now. From work on fully organic community gardens to providing grants to area grade schools for various landscaping and outdoor educational projects, Allentuck Landscaping has been front and center in giving back to their community.
And while Allentuck says he and his company don’t pursue these efforts for the recognition, that’s exactly what it got late last year when Allentuck Landscaping was honored with the 2025 Corporate Partnership Award from CaringMatters, a group the company has supported for more than two decades.
CaringMatters is a nonprofit with a campus in Gaithersburg, Md., that supports children, adults and families facing serious illness or grieving the death of a loved one. The team at Allentuck has long maintained and helped enhance the grounds in Gaithersburg, providing pro bono design, installation and maintenance services, and most recently creating a new outdoor patio that serves as a peaceful gathering space for the community.
The award that was presented during a ceremony last November recognized the company’s long-standing commitment to community service and its generous support of the nonprofit’s mission to provide compassionate care.
“’Humbling’ is the word I’ve been using,” Allentuck says when asked about receiving this award. “We honestly don’t care if anyone knows about the philanthropic work we do or not … but it was a really kind, sweet gesture, and it meant a lot to the members of our team who have worked at the CaringMatters facility for a long time.”
“This partnership goes far beyond landscaping,” says CaringMatters CEO Allison Stearns. “Allentuck’s work has created spaces that truly embody the heart of our mission.”
The connection between Allentuck Landscaping and CaringMatters began in an unlikely spot — the post office. “I met someone affiliated with CaringMatters in line at the post office around the corner from us,” Allentuck says. “We started up a conversation, she eventually mentioned what she did and said, ‘You have to come see this place.’ That’s how it all started.”
Allentuck Landscaping’s philanthropic work has gone beyond its local community, too, primarily through the annual Renewal and Remembrance event in Washington, D.C., organized by the National Association of Landscape Professionals. Allentuck himself was an early volunteer at the initiative and has twice served as a chairman for that event, most recently in 2022.
“(R&R) is practically in our backyard and does so much good for the grounds around many of the national monuments. I’m just happy I’ve been able to give back,” he says.
Allentuck is quick to point out that the values of giving back that have been baked into his company since the beginning aren’t necessarily unique.
“There are so many companies in our industry that are doing really great things, so I don’t think we’re doing anything special in that regard,” he says. “I think it’s just part of this industry and the people that it attracts.”
And he also has a piece of advice for other landscape pros looking to step up their own involvement in their own communities.
“This kind of work is a sacrifice, and it may cost you money and time. But if you’re passionate about it and you feel like you’re making a difference, it’s going to be worth it,” he says.
