Free trees available today at Bever Park in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS — State Farm, and Arbor Day Foundation, are distributing 200 trees in Cedar Rapids as part of a national reforestation effort.

The event begins at 11 a.m. today at Bever Park (pool parking lot), 2700 Bever Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. Participants should enter the park from the Bever Avenue entrance.

This is a no-cost tree distribution event. Trees are available first-come, first -served, one tree per vehicle. Residents will have the opportunity to choose from a variety of native tree species, including Green Mountain Maple, Heritage Birch, Bur Oak, New Horizon Elm and Shademaster Locust.

This project is one of 16, focused on areas that have been significantly damaged by natural disasters, including wildfires, major storms, and urban heat. For the next three months, State Farm will be engaging agents and employees across the country to plant and distribute trees in an effort to help rebuild these devastated communities and inspire hope for those who have been impacted the most.

“Trees play a vital role in the stability of our communities and their resilience against disaster,” said State Farm Vice President of Administrative Services Jenny Greminger, who oversees the company’s environmental sustainability team. “Replanting, in a strategic way, will help impacted areas recover and potentially better withstand future challenges.”

In Cedar Rapids specifically, State Farm and the Arbor Day Foundation have teamed up with Trees Forever to help distribute trees in response to the Aug. 10, 2020, derecho that damaged 65 percent of the city’s tree canopy.

“We know many thousands of trees were lost from front and backyards in our community. This generous support from State Farm and the Arbor Day Foundation will help homeowners bring back the shade and beauty to our community,” said Kiley Miller, Trees Forever President and CEO.

These autumn plantings and distributions follow several reforestation projects that were carried out by State Farm and the Arbor Day Foundation in spring 2021. Through this collaboration, more than 235,000 trees were planted in several forests across the country that have experienced a severe loss in canopy due to wildfires and hurricane damage. With the severity and rate of natural disasters on the rise, projects like these are becoming increasingly important in protecting both our planet’s ecosystems and our communities.

State Farm recently introduced the “Good Neighbors. Better World.” initiative, which connects social responsibility and environmental sustainability as core aspects of doing business. This outlook is explored in the company’s first Environmental, Social and Governance report, released in March of this year.

About State Farm®

The mission of State Farm is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its 19,300 agents and nearly 55,000 employees serve approximately 86 million policies and accounts — which includes auto, fire, life, health, commercial policies and financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 39 on the 2021 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit https://www.statefarm.com.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than 1 million members, supporters, and valued partners. During the last 49 years, more than 400 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have been planted in neighborhoods, communities, cities, and forests throughout the world. Our vision is to help others understand and use trees as a solution to many of the global issues we face today, including air quality, water quality, climate change, deforestation, poverty, and hunger.

As one of the world's largest operating conservation foundations, the Arbor Day Foundation, through its members, partners, and programs, educates and engages stakeholders and communities across the globe to involve themselves in its mission of planting, nurturing, and celebrating trees.

About Trees Forever

Trees Forever is a nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Marion, Iowa. Its mission — to plant and care for trees and the environment by empowering people, building community, and promoting stewardship — is fulfilled through cutting-edge programs and innovative practices. Trained and experienced staff have assisted community leaders and landowners across Iowa, Illinois and beyond with thousands of planting projects. Each year, on average, Trees Forever works with and engages more than 7,000 volunteers who give generously of their time and talents. To date, they’ve helped plant more than 3 million trees.