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Dear Neighbors,
Last week, the Salvation Army reached out to inform me that the USDA cut funds to food banks such as Farm Share. In a letter, the Salvation Army explained that Farm Share previously made up 70% of their food supply for weekly pantries, which directly served about 240 households per week. Farm Share previously supplied food weekly, but now they can only supply once this month and twice a month after that. This one scenario is reflective of the same challenges other community-based organizations are combating. I am working with the City Manager’s Office to explore available funds that could help the Salvation Army and other essential providers.
Have you ever seen those mini libraries in local parks and neighborhoods? That is all thanks to Action for Literacy, a 501 c3 charity dedicated to improving children’s literacy. Over the past ten years, they have built over 125 Free Lending Libraries throughout the city. Volunteers regularly put in new books and seek out artists to beautify the libraries. More recently, they partnered with first grade classes at Croissant Park Elementary to provide students with more books. They have also been working with elementary schools to supplement teacher’s budgets with funds designated for improving literacy. I would like everyone to give a shout out to neighbors Ray Dettmann, Alan Garber, Mark Miller, and all the Action for Literacy volunteers! If you are interested in volunteering please contact the Chief Service Officer, Jorg Hruschka at 954-828-5568 or jhruschka@fortlauderdale.gov
I am happy to announce that Fort Lauderdale will have a finalized Urban Forestry Master Plan by September 2025! The purpose of this master plan is to provide a roadmap for the city to achieve 33% tree canopy coverage by 2040. Our current tree canopy coverage in Fort Lauderdale is about 26.6%. Although a 6.4% increase in a 15-year period may not seem like a lot, it is an aggressive goal. Each year about 3% of our tree canopies die, and to add 1% to the canopy requires planting over 6,000 trees. The masterplan will also emphasize strategies that support planting the right tree in the right place. This is best practice to ensure that the tree is well-suited for the environment and will minimize potential problems. The survey for the master plan expires Monday, April 21st, please fill it out here. They currently have 348 responses, spread the word and let’s achieve 500.
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