Tree Santas Brighten Holidays

AmeriCorps members deliver tree on Tree Santa Day 2008

Every December Our City Forest (OCF) conducts its Holiday Tree Santa Project, in which we loan small, living, decorated Christmas trees to homebound residents. Our goal each year is to deliver holiday cheer to roughly 30 homebound individuals. This program is incredibly heart-warming for both the recipients and for those who decorate, deliver and pick up the trees.

Our City Forest cultivates a list of homebound individuals to receive these special trees through referrals from organizations such as Meals on Wheels, Health Connections and City Team Ministries to qualify as a tree recipient through the Tree Santa Project individuals

• are homebound and,
• might not have relatives or friends nearby who are in touch and,
• would not have a Christmas tree this holiday were it not for this program

Our City Forest solicits donations of small, living evergreen trees, such as Italian Stone Pines from local retail nurseries. Members of the community also generously donate tree lights and small decorations.

Volunteers Jeff Budd and his wife, Wendy.

Together, volunteers and staff members:

• decorate the trees,
• transport the trees to the homebound recipients,
• set up the tree and plug in the lights,
• visit with the recipients for a short while,
• give them tree care instructions and
• make arrangements to retrieve the trees after the holidays.

Afterward, the trees are returned to the Our City Forest Tree Bank, where they are cared for until they can be planted in the community later on.

For more information about the OCF Tree Santa Project, email info@ourcityforest.org .

Return to Selection of OCF Special Project Listings