More than 250 volunteers joined TreePeople to distribute nearly 2,000 trees to Angelenos from Inglewood, Huntington Park, Pacoima, and Watts during this year’s Fruit Tree Distribution Festivals.

The events attracted a variety of volunteers, from local community members to groups, businesses and government representatives. This year the Laker Girls were on hand to help sort new trees, while volunteers from Starbucks and Disney helped distribute the trees to residents. In Pacoima, LA Councilmember Felipe Fuentes and Pacoima Beautiful partnered to promote the event in Roger Jessup Park.

Each year during planting season, bare-root fruit trees ready for planting are sourced from local nurseries. Then, with the help of our dedicated volunteers, we trim the roots and wrap them in wet newspaper before the trees are carried away to their new homes (with their new owners trained to plant and care for them). This year we shared apple, peach, apricot, plum, nectarine, lime and lemon trees that will take root in yards in some of the most over-paved “food deserts” of LA.

Both people and our environment win when we support a living urban forest in underserved communities where trees and fresh produce are scarce.

“Providing fruit trees is a part of my overall mission to help people become connected to the growing process while also providing a nutritious food source and food security,” LA Councilmember Fuentes said on his Facebook page.

Now more than ever, it’s key we all need to take a proactive role to preparing the city for our changing climate by planting and caring for trees. It’s proven! When canopy coverage increases, urban neighborhoods become more livable thanks to trees’ cooling effect and shade that enables people to comfortably enjoy their community. Trees clean our air by absorbing carbon dioxide and other harmful gasses. Not to mention that they act as nature’s sponges by trapping precious rainwater in their roots, preventing erosion and flooding while also providing homes for other plants and animals along with cleaning our groundwater! Trees do all that, and these trees will yield harvests of healthy fresh fruit for years to come.

TreePeople events like these are happening all the time. Check out our calendar for more details about park plantings, forest restoration, park work days and hikes.