ITC Midwest contributes $200,000 to ReLeaf initiative to replant trees in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS — ITC Midwest has given $200,000 to the ReLeaf Program, a public-private partnership between nonprofit Trees Forever and the city of Cedar Rapids, to support tree replanting in Cedar Rapids after the 2020 derecho.

“As home to our downtown headquarters and many of our employees, and the largest city in our electric transmission service area, we know firsthand the devastation Cedar Rapids sustained during the derecho,” ITC Midwest President Dusky Terry said in a statement. “ITC Midwest’s commitment to the communities we serve extends beyond power restoration. Trees are essential for our environment, our community, and our quality of life.”

The ReLeaf initiative aims to replenish the urban forest after the 2020 storm’s hurricane-force winds toppled about 70 percent of the city’s tree canopy. The organizations involved in the partnership are working to develop and implement a long-term effort that will help reforest public spaces and provide outreach for tree planting on public and private property in Cedar Rapids.

On Aug. 10, the anniversary of the storm, city officials shared that private investors had so far contributed over $1 million to the ReLeaf fundraising campaign. The city already has committed to providing $1 million a year for 10 years, and Trees Forever is looking to meet that contribution with $5 million in private funds.

Lead gifts came from the Alliant Energy Foundation ($550,000), Collins Aerospace ($250,000) and AEGON Transamerica Foundation ($100,000).

In addition, ITC Midwest said it will support other tree-replanting initiatives in communities throughout derecho-affected areas into the future.

“ITC Midwest is a longtime, recognized leader in our community and is once again stepping forward with a generous investment to benefit current and future generations,” Trees Forever Chief Executive Officer Kiley Miller said in a statement.

In 2020 and 2021, according to ITC Midwest, the company has provided $500,000 in funding to support COVID-19 pandemic and derecho disaster relief to various organizations throughout its service territory. Through its Charitable Giving Program, ITC Midwest supports organizations that make a positive social impact and improve the quality of life in the communities the company serves.

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