Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation Wednesday announced a major gift in support of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful mission to engage individuals in building and sustaining vibrant communities.

The Lowe’s/Keep America Beautiful Community Improvement Grant of $20,000 is one of 75 merit-based grants awarded nationally to support grassroots community improvement projects ranging from community gardens and tree plantings to litter and debris cleanups, recycling programs, park and playground restorations and beautification efforts.

This project is in collaboration with Lift Johnstown and Sandyvale Memorial Gardens and Conservancy.  The Lift Johnstown grant program will provide funding for the addition and ongoing maintenance of 7 community gardens and a greenhouse. This community garden initiative will provide convenient access to fresh produce for hundreds of community residents in the downtown Johnstown area.

“These projects will provide local residents with increased access to new and improved gardens, and also an opportunity to be actively engaged in horticultural activities,” explained Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

The grant program is being supported by Lowe’s company-wide volunteerism effort, Lowe’s Heroes. This initiative offers Lowe’s employees the opportunity to work on a project in their own neighborhood, helping to make their communities better places to live, work and play.

“Keep America Beautiful is proud of the positive impact that Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s project will have in the Johnstown community,” said Keep America Beautiful COO Becky Lyons. “We are truly grateful to Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation for its support and leadership that is being demonstrated in community sustainability.”

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s mission is empowering Pennsylvanians to make our communities clean and beautiful.  Since 1990, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and its volunteers have removed over 97 million pounds of litter from Pennsylvania’s roadways, greenways, parks, forests, and waterways.

8/5/2013