Project EverGreen expanded its GreenCare for Troops (GCFT) program to include wounded and disabled veterans in addition to families of currently deployed military personnel.
The program, now in its ninth year, provides military personnel and their immediate families with free lawn care and landscape services from registered volunteers for the length of deployment, typically nine months to one year. The same service period exists for wounded and disabled veterans; and they can re-apply for an additional year of services if needed.
“The need to support the families of those holding down the home front is significant,” said Cindy Code, executive director of Project EverGreen. “We’re thrilled to expand this program for wounded and disabled veterans. It’s important to Project EverGreen and our dedicated volunteer base to continue supporting our veterans in their critical time of need. We’re very grateful for the continued support from The Toro Co. and the leadership they have demonstrated in support of military families goes above and beyond the call of duty.”
GCFT was launched in 2007. Over the history of the program, it has served more than 10,000 military families across the country with the assistance of more than 4,000 lawn and landscape contractor volunteers.
“A well-maintained yard not only provides kids with a safe place to play and a way for neighbors to connect but it also helps increase property values,” Code said.
The volunteer-based program matches families in need with a volunteer in their area—it is national in scope and the need varies greatly from region to region. Because volunteers and families don’t always align, Project EverGreen encourages volunteers to continue to register to help military families.
In hand with the GCFT expansion, Project EverGreen also unveiled that April 19-25 will be designated National GreenCare for Troops Awareness Week. The week is intended to raise awareness of the program and will spotlight the efforts of the program’s volunteers and military families and veterans it serves.
In addition, Project EverGreen designated May 17-23 as National “Healthy Turf. Healthy Kids.” Awareness Week and November 8-14, 2015 as National SnowCare for Troops Awareness Week.
