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For Immediate Release:
May 06, 2014
Media Contact:
Patrice Gillespie Smith
[email protected]
305-755-7801

Million Trees Miami leverages TD Green Streets Grant to Northside Metrorail Station

Volunteers create a calming open space in the midst of active corridor


(MIAMI, May 6, 2014) – Leveraging a $20,000 TD Green Streets Grant, volunteers from nearby communities, Citizens for a Better South Florida, and the Community Image Advisory Board  (CIA B) completed a Million Trees Miami project at Northside Metrorail Station on Saturday, May 3, 2014.  The effort involved the planting of 20 new trees, painting benches, picking up litter, and installing new trash cans and signs at the site. 

“Northside Metrorail Station is another great accomplishment for Million Trees Miami,” said Miami-Dade County District 9 Commissioner Dennis C. Moss and CIAB Chairman, who spearheaded Million Trees Miami in 2010.  “Thanks to dedicated community partners like TD Green Streets we are making great strides in our efforts to increase the tree canopy and rejuvenate open spaces in Miami-Dade County.”

More than 60 volunteers from TD Bank, Miami-Dade Bar Association, Miami-Dade County District 2 Commissioner Jean Monestime’s Office, Citizens for a Better South Florida, the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department and the surrounding neighborhood showed up Saturday morning to help transform the space. 

“It was inspiring to see such a committed group of people help clean up and green up our community,” said Miami-Dade County District 2 Commissioner Jean Monestime.  “We are proud to support these efforts and know this is just the beginning for the 79th Street corridor.”

Funding for the tree planting was provided through TD Green Streets, a grant program from TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, and the Arbor Day Foundation supporting innovation in urban forestry.  Miami-Dade Transit provided the benches and trashcans. The project leveraged landscape improvements slated for medians across the street from the Northside station. Miami-Dade County Parks, CIAB and Citizens for a Better South Florida work together to educate and conduct outreach in surrounding communities about the importance of planting trees.  These efforts serve to advance the Million Trees Miami goal of reaching 30 percent tree canopy by 2020.

About TD Green Streets:
Launched in 2013 by TD and the Arbor Day Foundation, TD Green Streets supports innovation in urban forestry. To be eligible for a TD Green Streets grant, qualified municipalities must be a current Arbor Day Foundation Tree City USA-designated community within TD Bank's U.S. footprint, and the proposed project must take place in a low- to moderate-income neighborhood. More information is available at tdgreenstreets.com. Tree City USA® is the nation’s premier urban and community forestry program, providing a foundation for effective, well-organized community tree care.

About the Arbor Day Foundation:
The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education organization of one million members with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at arborday.org, or by visiting us on Facebook, Twitter or our blog.

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 8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at approximately 1,300 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.tdbank.com. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US.

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD". To learn more, visit www.td.com.

About the CIAB:
Housed in the Parks Recreation and Open Spaces Department, the CIAB is a multi-jurisdictional collaborative dedicated to creating beautiful gateways, corridors and connections through cleaning and greening investments. Working with members, including the Florida Department of Transportation, PortMiami, the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau and Miami-Dade Public Works and Waste Management departments, the CIAB’s impact can be seen in efforts, such as: litter reduction, tree plantings, roadway landscaping and Metrorail station improvements.  The CIAB launched Million Trees Miami in 2010.