Delaware Center for Horticulture Selected to Partner with TD Tree Days to Enhance Urban Forest and the Community by Planting Trees in Wilmington
April 27, 2021
Wilmington, DE –TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, selected the Delaware Center for Horticulture (DCH) to receive a 2020 TD Tree Days grant. TD Tree Days is a community-based program created in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, which expands urban forests and green spaces in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods. The grant allowed DCH’s staff, Branches to Chances trainees, and volunteers to plant 40 native trees at Banning Park in Wilmington on April 26. This project, originally scheduled for fall 2020, was deferred to spring 2021 due to COVID-19 considerations.
“We’re honored to support the Delaware Center for Horticulture during TD Tree Days to expand the tree canopy and help provide a healthier environment, which is critically important this year as more people recognize the wellness benefits of spending time outdoors during the pandemic,” said Shelley Sylva, TD Bank’s Head of Social Impact. “TD Tree Days is part of the TD Ready Commitment, which supports initiatives to help ensure a sustainable and inclusive future for all. TD Tree Days is one of many programs that promote a vibrant planet by providing green spaces where they are most needed. Trees do much more than beautify our communities – they produce oxygen; improve air quality and slow climate change by reducing carbon emissions, airborne pollutants and smog; provide cooling shade to reduce energy costs; and enhance quality of life.”
Now in its 10th year, the TD Tree Days program typically brings together community members and TD employees at planting events in communities from Maine to Florida. Founded in Canada in 2010, the program has positively impacted communities and the environment as TD’s flagship volunteer and urban greening program, planting more than 435,000 native trees and shrubs, primarily in Canada and the U.S., and is managed with support from the Arbor Day Foundation. Under the TD Ready Commitment platform, TD pledges to plant one million trees in North America by 2030, and the TD Tree Days program will count toward that goal.
DCH was one of 17 organizations in the United States chosen to participate in TD Tree Days through an application process. “We are excited to once again be a part of TD Tree Days and bring more native trees to one of New Castle County’s (NCC) most prized public parks,” said Vikram Krishnamurthy, DCH’s Executive Director. “Working with NCC, we planted this year’s 40 trees to complement the previous 40 trees we planted through TD Tree Days in 2019. As an added benefit, this event also served as a hands-on exercise for our Branches to Chances Return to Work trainees, giving them additional arboriculture training in the field. The continued investment made possible by this partnership with TD Bank and the Arbor Day Foundation is greatly appreciated not only by the residents who enjoy Banning Park but by our organization and the local government officials who can watch year over year as these trees grow and bring more environmental benefits to our county and state.”
About Delaware Center for Horticulture Since 1977, the Delaware Center for Horticulture has inspired individuals and communities through the power of plants. Its work includes creating and maintaining the first Urban Farm in the city of Wilmington, establishing the Branches to Chances Return to Work Program, beautifying public landscapes, planting and advising on the urban placement of trees, and hosting educational programs and community events. For more information, visit www.thedch.org [thedch.org].
About the TD Ready Commitment TD Tree Days supports TD’s longstanding commitment to community enrichment and forms one component of its TD Ready Commitment, a multi-year platform that actively promotes inclusivity, economic vitality, environmental wellbeing, and health, enabling people of all backgrounds to succeed in a rapidly changing world. As part of the TD Ready Commitment, TD targets CDN $1 billion (US $775 million) in total by 2030 towards community giving in four critical areas: Financial Security, a more Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through this platform, TD aspires to create a more inclusive tomorrow — helping people of all backgrounds feel more confident, not just about their finances but about their ability to achieve their goals. Click here for more information about the TD Ready Commitment. [tdbank.com]
About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank® TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 9.5 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,220 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas, and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth®, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.td.com/us [td.com]. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank [facebook.com] and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US [twitter.com] and www.twitter.com/TDNews_US [twitter.com].