Through a partnership with The GIANT Company and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, Tri County Community Action and Keep Philadelphia Beautiful completed three recent community improvement projects with the help of local volunteers and The GIANT Company’s team member engagement program. 

Pennypack Project, Philadelphia

At Pennypack on the Delaware, The GIANT Company teamed up with Keep Philadelphia Beautiful and Riverfront North Partnership to plant native plants to protect against the spread of invasive species, nonnative to the area.

Twelve volunteers dispersed wood chip piles throughout the woodlots via wheelbarrows and buckets and planted 40 plants of four native species.

“It was a pleasure to work with The GIANT Company to support this hidden city gem and backyard greenway at Pennypack on the Delaware,” said Kelly Offner, Executive Director of Keep Philadelphia Beautiful. “The site leaders from Riverfront North and Keep Philly Beautiful were delighted by the curiosity and work ethic of The GIANT Company volunteers, who planted much-needed native plants and safe-guarded land plots against invasive species.

“The volunteers' efforts at the multiuse park were made possible through a partnership of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, a trusted beautification resource for organizations across the state, and Keep Philadelphia Beautiful,” said Offner.

Allison Hill Projects, Dauphin County

In Allison Hill, a neighborhood of Harrisburg, Dauphin County five trees and over a dozen large, decorative planters were filled with soil and flowering plants along Derry and Market streets by local volunteers and The GIANT Company team with the goal of beautifying the main Allison Hill neighborhood corridors.

Once volunteers completed the plantings, they moved on to the Heart of the Community Garden where they painted benches, planted flowers, pulled weeds, cleaned up litter, trimmed and mowed the green space.

The garden is known for its three-story, ‘Live the Conversation’ mural that illustrates local community residents and leaders and delivers a message of inspiration and nonviolence.

It also provides a public space for the Allison Hill Farmers Market whose initiative is to improve local food security, enhance individual health, and build entrepreneurship among local farmers and residents, all while enriching community life in the Allison Hill neighborhood of Harrisburg. 

“We appreciate Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and The GIANT Company for their support in the beautification of the main Allison Hill corridors and the Heart of the Community Garden. Their volunteerism shows there is someone out there who cares about our community and the places they frequent. This act of generosity ensures the community garden will be in shape for the Allison Hill Farmers Market that is open every Wednesday from 3:00 - 7:00 p.m., beginning on June 2,” said Danielle Krebs, Communications Manager for Tri County Community Action. 

The recent cleanup and beautification projects are a continuation of community improvements initiated by The GIANT Company’s Reduced Emissions Program, which was developed in partnership with GreenPrint Holdings Inc.

Through the Reduced Emissions Program, for every gallon of fuel purchased at a GIANT or MARTIN’S fuel station, GreenPrint will invest in carbon projects across the globe, which will offset up to 30percent of the customer’s tailpipe carbon emissions. 

“We want to make sure we are staying true to our purpose and helping to ensure a healthy planet for future generations and we are proud to work with organizations Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and their local affiliate Keep Harrisburg–Dauphin County Beautiful, who share our commitment,” said Jessica Groves, Social Impact Manager, The GIANT Company.

“Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful has supported community improvement initiatives and has encouraged community leadership, responsibility and a respect for the environment since 1990. We are honored to partner with The GIANT Company and our local affiliates and their supporters on the recent efforts in the Philadelphia and Harrisburg areas through its Reduced Emissions Program,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “The GIANT Company has been a sponsor of our Pick Up Pennsylvania program for a number of years. We look forward to continuing to provide opportunities for local community improvement through this partnership.”

Visit The GIANT Company’s website to learn more about the company’s sustainability programs.

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website. Click Here to become a member.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, Discover them on Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel.

Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up communities and keep them clean and KPB’s Electronics Waste website.

The 2021 Pick Up Pennsylvania Initiative will be held from March 1 through May 31.  Questions should be directed to Michelle Dunn at 1-877-772-3673 Ext. 113 or send email to: mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

Keep PA Beautiful helps mobilize over 100,000 volunteers a year to pick up litter, clean up illegal dumping and beautify Pennsylvania.

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