April 2020
Issue IV
Fiscally Sponsored Programs
Perseverance & Positivity
Richard Hodges established ReTreeUS in 2012, to promote an environmentally sustainable and socially just food system through education, practical resources, and mentorship. The program plants orchards in schools and provides educational programs that empower people to be healthy environmental stewards.

The COVID-19 pandemic underlines how essential it is to create greater food security and self-sustainability in our communities. Teaching young people to grow their own food and empowering them to do so is an important way to create a deeper sense of security in uncertain times. Due to the virus, many aspects of life right now, remind us of the importance of the ReTreeUS mission. The program will be doubling down on the effort to provide the next generation with the resources and knowledge necessary to grow food in a way that will improve the environment and support greater community resilience.

During this time of social distancing, the program has had to adapt. While their mission remains the same, their work has necessarily adjusted. Especially affected were their plans for on-the-ground activity this spring. They have pivoted from their plans of in-person lessons and orchard plantings, which involve working directly with students, and instead are developing and distributing remote learning resources.

Although COVID-19 has caused their program to adjust , they maintain their perseverance and positivity! ReTreeUS will continue to generate lessons and connect people with activities, "through education, practical resources, and mentorship" using digital platforms of communication instead of their typical onsite/hands in the dirt approach. ReTreeUS will continue to spread their Back to School Garden model, that focuses effort and harvest around the school calendar, once students can again participate and interact publicly.

When quarantine orders have been lifted, ReTreeUS Orchard Caretakers will begin taking inventory of all trees planted by the program in over 40 Maine orchards. This information will be used to build a database that will provide a learning platform and showcase for how orchards store carbon. It will also show how local food production can impact the carbon footprint of the food supply chain. These orchard effects contribute to important climate change mitigation. ReTreeUs also has plans to expand their program into neighboring states New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Click below to see how ReTreeUS educates students on the value of planting fruit trees.
"We plant orchards in schools and provide educational programs that empower people to be healthy environmental stewards."
This week, the world celebrated the 50 th anniversary of International Earth Day . A day where we are reminded of the importance of keeping our planet sustainable and environmentally healthy. Programs like ReTreeUS are integral in making sure the next generation has the education, tools, and skills to keep this mission alive.

Take a look at the ReTreeUS educational and activity resources below so you too can participate in the sustainability of our environment.

Resources:
Here are some of their tips:
Think Outside the Box
Pictured above is a Back to School Garden.
Tip 1: Collaborate
Connect with partners. Improve efficiency by not reinventing the wheel, but by sharing the wheels you already have turning with others.
Tip 2: Listen to Your Community
Be responsive
to what is needed and
focus on the positive work you can do.
Pictured above is a "user friendly" "ready to use" lesson on Pollination.
Tip 3: Communicate
Stay engaged with your community and remember to use your digital platforms to connect with the public.
Tip 4: Get it Done!

Demonstrate resilience, creativity, and sustainability to strive for a more
fruitful future!
DID YOU KNOW?
Thoughts, quotes, and images provided by ReTreeUS.
Let's Keep Going!
ReTreeUS is a fiscally sponsored program of United Charitable,
a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
www.unitedcharitable.org