project leader
Blaze J
location
58-03 Rockaway Beach Blvd
Queens (Arverne East, Far Rockaway, NY)
latest update rss
Thank You + Volunteer Sign-up!

the project

The Nature Conservancy's Leaders in Environmental Action for the Future (LEAF) Ambassadors are a group of high school students who are working for NYC residents to have access to healthy coastal ecosystems that protect against storms and rising sea levels. NYC’s coastal resilience has been tested by storms like Superstorm Sandy, and the degradation of our waterfronts leaves coastal areas prone to danger from future storms. Our goal is to help protect vulnerable coastal residents by partnering with the Rockaway Waterfront Alliance (RWA) to restore a natural storm buffer on the Rockaway Beach sand dunes.

We will commemorate the 5-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy by engaging the frontline community of Far Rockaway, New York in a day of coastal restoration, dune planting and environmental resiliency education. We plan to purchase hundreds of native shrubs and grasses to plant in the sand dunes of Arverne East, Far Rockaway, a low-income community vulnerable to storms, and empower local residents to create a natural buffer against future storms. At the end of the project we will have helped build a more resilient NYC coastline and engaged the community about the importance of natural buffers and coastal resilience in the context of rising sea levels and a changing climate.

the steps

1. Meet with RWA, visit project site and plan logistics

2. Inform prospective supporters

3. Recruit 100+ volunteers from local community and nearby schools

4. Purchase materials

5. Execute event, April 22

6. Send thank-yous to donors and volunteers

 

why we're doing it

We are commemorating the 5-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy and celebrating Earth Day by cleaning up a stretch of dunes in the Arverne East neighborhood of Far Rockaway, NY and planting native shrubs and grasses to make the coastline more resilient in the face of future storms and rising sea levels.

budget

Disbursed Budget (5.17.17)

RAISED = $2,815.00

ioby Platform Fee $35.00

Payment Processing Fee (3%) $80.97

TOTAL TO DISBURSE = $2,699.03

 

Shrub: Asclepias Tuberosa (100 x $8.50) = $850 

Shrub: Northern Bayberry (60 x $13.75) = $825 

Shrub: Rosa Virginiana (50 x $16.00) = $800 

Trowels = $100 

Geotag = $60 

Print materials = $15.49 

Total = $2650.49 

 

Original Budget

75 native shrubs - $1,500

500 native grasses - $500

Trowels - $100

Geotag for marketing event - $60

SUBTOTAL = $2,160

ioby Platform Fee - $35

ioby Donation Processing Fee (3%) - $65

TOTAL TO RAISE = $2,260

updates

Thank You + Volunteer Sign-up!

We’ve surpassed our fundraising goal! Thank you so much to all of the donors and supporters of our project. We really could not have planned a successful day without all of your contributions, so thank you again.

We’re currently planning the logistics of the day of the event, including setting up a platform for volunteers to register. If you’re interested in volunteering this event, we would love to have your help! You can register for the event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/5-year-sandy-anniversary-dune-planting-coastal-cleanup-tickets-33447563563. Hope to see you there!

One Week Left!

Hi everyone!

We are nearly halfway to our fundraising goal, but there's only one week left! Thank you so much to those who have supported our campaign already. We need your help to share our project (ioby.org/sandyplanting) with your friends and family to help us reach our goal.

If you are interested in volunteering with us this Earth Day, please contact Blaze Jones-Yellin at bjy@tnc.org and include 'Sandy Planting Volunteer' in the subject line.

Keep an eye out for more information on this page in the coming days!

Sincerely,

LEAF Ambassadors

photos

This is where photos will go once we build flickr integration

donors

  • Tanya Kohtin & Mark A. Izeman Fund
  • Liang
  • Tsui
  • Jessy Feng Han
  • William Morton
  • Keelin Mathews
  • Jonah Cardillo
  • Laura Leinweber
  • Melissa L Elstein and Eric Katzman
  • Nancy Amo
  • Anonymous
  • Marc Diaz
  • Caroline A. King
  • Craig H.
  • Anonymous
  • FRIEND OF BLAZE
  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous
  • Beth Heuer
  • Friends of HSES
  • jean y.
  • Jeremy Powers
  • Nada Khader
  • LEAF Alumni Supporter
  • Anna Q.
  • Anonymous
  • Lai H. C.
  • Luna O.
  • The Filanovsky Family
  • Jessica Lee
  • Juan Arango
  • Jonathan Floyd
  • Jenny Fan
  • Anonymous
  • Ho
  • Anonymous
  • Laurel
  • Stella
  • Anonymous
  • Paula Izeman
  • Kevin Tsai
  • Leah Douglas
  • Cheryl Blaylock
  • Esther Huang
  • Jess Song
  • Anonymous