As part of its effort to combat the effects of climate change, officials for the Bezos Earth Fund backed by Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos said on Monday, July 17, that it will donate $12 million to Pacoima Beautiful, TreePeople and other organizations in the Los Angeles area to create greening projects and parks for communities in need.
The fund, launched in 2020, is part of Bezos’ new Greening America’s Cities initiative which has promised to donate $400 million in grants to activists, scientists, companies and organizations who commit to creating access to parks, trees and gardens badly needed in urban environments.
”Green spaces are critical for people and the planet. The Bezos Earth Fund is proud to partner with local communities and government to expand urban green spaces,” said Andrew Steer, president and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund, in a statement. “In partnership, this new initiative will support historically underserved communities, supporting their health and well-being.”
Environmental nonprofit Pacoima Beautiful has received $3.5 million for its plan to transform the unused embankments along Pacoima Wash into a public space with amenities. Funds will cover construction costs, community organization and outreach, and professional development to secure additional financing and hiring of additional staff.
Another environmental nonprofit, the widely known TreePeople, which has long urged Los Angeles and Southern California cities to plant far more trees to create shade, cool communities, and fight global warming, will receive $1.9 million to plant about 4,250 trees in underserved communities across L.A.
The list of L.A. organizations receiving funding includes Hip Hop Caucus, GreenLatinos, Green Cities California, Urban Sustainability Directors Network, Trust for Public Land, ReGenesis, PolicyLink, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences Spatial Sciences Institute and the Equity Research Institute, and UCLA Laboratory for…
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