There’s something heartwarming about watching a city come together for the simple yet meaningful opportunity to adopt a tree.

On a quiet morning in Canoga Park, the community gathered for the 5th annual Follow Your Heart tree giveaway. The much-anticipated festival began as a living tribute to Paul Lewin, an original co-founder of the Follow Your Heart Market & Café, who passed away in 2021. Every year since, his family and the Follow Your Heart team have honored his memory by inviting the community he loved into the heart of the business he helped create. 

The free tree distribution is always led by TreePeople, and this year we offered avocado, guava, apple, pomegranate, cherry, fig, jujube, and loquat trees, along with flowering and evergreen shade trees.

Long before the event officially began, a line had already formed, stretching down the street and buzzing with anticipation. Families, neighbors, first-time planters, and more waited patiently to bring home a tree and plant a little more life into their neighborhood.

Hundreds of guests turned out, each ready to adopt a fruit or shade tree. Some came with wagons and pickup trucks, others with just their hands and determination. TreePeople staff and volunteers helped residents pick a tree and helped them take it to their cars safely. They also moved through the crowd, answering questions and sharing tips–turning the wait itself into a moment of learning and connection.

Attendees also received hands-on guidance on how deep to dig, how often to water, and how to give their new tree the best chance to thrive in Southern California’s unique climate. 

For many, this may be their first time planting a tree. And that’s exactly the point. TreePeople’s work to plant, distribute, and care for trees has always been rooted in education. By equipping people with knowledge, we’re helping to cultivate confidence and long-term care.

In a region like the San Fernando Valley, trees are essential. They provide shade in increasingly intense heat, improve air quality, and play a critical role in managing water. Throughout the event, guests also learned about watershed health, how rainwater flows through urban environments, how trees help capture and filter that water, and why it matters for the future of Los Angeles.

By the end of the event, nearly 300 trees had been adopted, each one representing a meaningful step toward a greener, cooler, more resilient city.