TOCA Volunteers and Project EverGreen Help Cleveland Park Bloom Again

TOCA volunteers and Project EverGreen helped Cleveland’s Helen Simpson Park bloom again as green industry communications professionals from across the country came together on April 29 to revitalize the Cleveland green space through a collaborative day of community service, landscape enhancements, and neighborhood stewardship.

Read More About Helen Simpson Park’s Transformation Through the Years

Led by Project EverGreen, the community refresh project brought together volunteers and industry partners including Yardmaster and Turf Pride Lawn Care to enhance one of the valued green spaces near Cleveland’s Shaker Square neighborhood.

TOCA volunteers - Project EverGreen

Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) volunteers Together, these partners continue to demonstrate how the green industry can create lasting impact well beyond the landscape itself.

The project focused on planting enhancements, landscape bed improvements, pruning, edging, and general park cleanup to create a cleaner, safer, and more welcoming environment for residents and visitors. Project EverGreen originally renovated the park in 2022 with a much-needed facelift to enhance the aesthetic appearance, vibrancy and accessibility to the park. Since then, The Morelands Group, a volunteer group of neighborhood residents, waters the plants, picks up litter and keeps a close eye on their beloved park.

A key component of the volunteer effort included members of the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA), which held its annual conference in Cleveland during the final week of April. TOCA members include writers, editors, podcasters, public relations professionals, marketers, and communications leaders representing companies and organizations across the green industry.

The annual meeting combined professional development, networking, industry education, and hands-on experiences throughout the Cleveland area. As part of the conference, TOCA members wanted to give back to the host city through a meaningful community service project focused on improving a neighborhood park and supporting local residents.

The project was supported through generous plant material donations from Bremec Nursery, Lake County Nursery, Willoway Nurseries, and LaCava Landscape, whose contributions helped transform key areas throughout the park.

The day also highlighted the importance of maintaining healthy green spaces in urban neighborhoods; places that improve community pride, support environmental health, and provide gathering spaces for families and residents.

“This was a wonderful opportunity for TOCA members to get their hands dirty, give back to the host city, and see firsthand how neighborhood parks help bring communities together,” said Cindy Code, executive director of Project EverGreen. “It was especially meaningful to have green industry communicators volunteer their time and talents to help create a more welcoming space for local residents.”

“What a wonderful day at Helen Simpson Park last week,” said Meg Weingart of the Morelands Group. “Thank you so much for bringing TOCA members, Yardmaster, Turf Pride, and of course Project EverGreen to our park. It really meant a lot to us, and the park looks fantastic.”

Susan Rotatori of the Morelands Group also shared her appreciation for the project and volunteers.

“The Morelands Group cannot thank Project EverGreen enough for all the donated wonderful plants and all the people power to get it planted and landscaped,” said Rotatori. “The park never looked so inviting and beautiful. We’re a little park, but it means so much to many.”

Volunteers worked side-by-side with community stakeholders to install new plant material around the park fountain and sidewalk areas, edge landscape beds, prune shrubs, remove debris, and refresh the appearance of the park ahead of the busy spring and summer seasons.

Projects like Helen Simpson Park reflect Project EverGreen’s ongoing commitment to creating greener, healthier, cooler communities through collaborative green space revitalization efforts nationwide.

Project EverGreen extends sincere appreciation to all volunteers, donors, and partners who helped make the day possible:

Get Involved

Ready to make a lasting impact beyond your own lawn? Join Project EverGreen in restoring and sustaining healthy green spaces for communities in need. Whether you volunteer your time, become a program sponsor, or make a donation, your support helps transform underperforming turf into vibrant, functional spaces that improve quality of life.

Get involved with a community park renovation project and be part of creating greener, healthier, cooler communities.

 

Shared Values and Measurable Impact: How Hunter Industries and Project EverGreen Are Advancing Healthier Communities

Shared values and measurable impact are at the heart of the long-standing partnership between Hunter Industries and Project EverGreen. Together, both organizations recognize that healthy, well-managed landscapes do more than enhance curb appeal, they strengthen communities, support environmental resilience, and improve quality of life.

In this Project EverGreen Partner Q&A, Warren Gorowitz, Director of Sustainability and Social Impact at Hunter Industries, shares how a commitment to responsible water management and community investment continues to drive meaningful progress for green spaces across the country.

What inspired Hunter to get involved, and why has that commitment remained strong over the years?

Hunter Industries has always believed that healthy landscapes are essential to thriving communities. Our involvement with Project EverGreen was a natural extension of that belief, supporting an organization that champions the environmental and social value of green spaces aligns closely with our purpose. What has kept that commitment strong is the tangible impact Project EverGreen delivers. Whether it is revitalizing community parks or supporting military families through GreenCare for Troops, their work consistently demonstrates how landscapes improve quality of life. That combination of shared values and measurable outcomes continues to reinforce our long-term partnership

Shared Values and Measurable Impact - Project EverGreen

Healthy, well-managed landscapes do more than enhance curb appeal – they strengthen communities, support environmental resilience, and improve quality of life. That shared commitment is what brings Hunter Industries and Project EverGreen together, including Hunter’s support of the 2017 ballfield renovation in San Marcos, California – home to the company’s headquarters.

How does Project EverGreen’s mission align with Hunter Industries’ approach to sustainability and responsible water management?

Project EverGreen’s focus on the environmental, social, and economic benefits of green spaces closely mirrors Hunter’s holistic approach to sustainability. At Hunter, we think about sustainability not just in terms of resource efficiency, but in how landscapes contribute to climate resilience, human well-being, and community vitality. Responsible water management is central to that, ensuring landscapes are both beautiful and efficient. Project EverGreen helps elevate that conversation by highlighting the broader value of managed green spaces and reinforcing that well-designed and properly maintained landscapes are part of the solution, not the problem.

Why is it important for companies like Hunter to support initiatives that demonstrate the real-world value of managed landscapes?

There is often a disconnect between perception and reality when it comes to landscapes. Initiatives like the Clean Air Calculator and community revitalization projects help quantify and visualize the real benefits, including carbon sequestration, temperature reduction, and improved mental health. For companies like Hunter, supporting this work is critical because it brings credibility and clarity to the role our industry plays. It helps shift the narrative from landscapes as purely aesthetic to landscapes as essential infrastructure. That understanding is key to driving better policy, smarter water use, and more sustainable practices overall

Why is it important for industry leaders to give back and invest in the communities they serve?

The green industry is uniquely positioned at the intersection of environment and community. The work we do shapes the spaces where people live, gather, and connect. With that influence comes a responsibility to give back. When industry leaders invest in communities, whether through volunteerism, funding, or partnerships, they help ensure that the benefits of green spaces are accessible to everyone. It also strengthens the industry itself by building trust, demonstrating value, and inspiring the next generation of professionals. Giving back is not just the right thing to do, it is essential for long-term impact and relevance

What opportunities do you see for continued collaboration between Hunter Industries and Project EverGreen?

Looking ahead, there is a strong opportunity to deepen our collaboration around education, advocacy, and measurable impact. As water scarcity and climate pressures continue to evolve, we can work together to promote best practices in sustainable landscape design and irrigation. Expanding tools that quantify environmental benefits, supporting more community-based projects, and elevating the role of efficient water use in healthy landscapes are all areas where we can make a meaningful difference together. Ultimately, our shared goal is to ensure that green spaces remain a vital, sustainable part of communities across the country, and that is a mission we are excited to continue advancing with Project EverGreen.

Warren Gorowitz, CLIA, EMSL is Director, Sustainability and Social Impact for Hunter Industries – a GreenCare for Communities donor partner. He is member of Project EverGreen’s Advisory Council.

Join the Mission – Learn More About Project EverGreen

Whether you volunteer, partner, or advocate, you play a role. Explore how you can get involved and discover the impact of green spaces in your own community. Because when we can measure the difference, we can multiply it.

Learn more about our initiatives and programs, and see where you can lend your time and talents.

 

 

Clean Air, Healthy Fields: How the Clean Air Calculator Empowers Sports Field Managers

Clean air, healthy fields was the clear message delivered at the 2026 Sports Field Management Association’s Annual Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, where Project EverGreen Executive Director Cindy Code and immediate past president Scott Bills of Sports Field Solutions reminded sports field managers that natural grass fields are living systems that deliver measurable environmental value – value that can now be clearly quantified.

Clean Air, Healthy Fields - Project EverGreen

Project EverGreen Executive Director Cindy Code (right) and immediate past president Scott Bills of Sports Field Solutions remind sports field managers that natural grass fields are living systems delivering measurable environmental value – value that can now be clearly quantified.

That’s where Project EverGreen’s Clean Air Calculator (CAC) comes in.

Developed as a science-based tool, the Clean Air Calculator translates the environmental benefits of professionally managed natural turf into data that administrators, school boards, municipalities, and community stakeholders can understand and trust. In an era where sustainability expectations are rising and budgets require justification; the CAC gives sports field managers the numbers they need to advocate for natural grass and proper maintenance.

Turning Turf Management into Environmental Data

Sports field managers already know the benefits of healthy turf. Grass sequesters carbon, produces oxygen, cools surrounding areas, and contributes to safer, more playable fields. What the Clean Air Calculator does is make those benefits visible.

Using peer-reviewed research from institutions including The Ohio State University, Texas A&M, and the Soil Health Institute, the CAC measures:

  • Carbon sequestered annually
  • Clean air produced each year
  • Equivalent miles of vehicle emissions offset
  • The number of people benefiting from oxygen production

For example, just 5,000 square feet of healthy grass can produce enough oxygen to support more than a dozen people per day, depending on location. When applied across athletic fields, campuses, or park systems, the environmental impact quickly becomes significant

A Stronger Case for Natural Grass Fields

Sports field managers are often asked to defend natural turf against synthetic alternatives, especially when decision-makers focus on usage hours or short-term convenience. The Clean Air Calculator helps shift that conversation.

Rather than framing grass as a “green space,” the CAC positions it as environmental infrastructure. The healthier the turf, the greater the environmental return. Properly managed fields don’t just perform better – they actively contribute to sustainability goals, including Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives now required by many schools, municipalities, and institutions.

With CAC data in hand, field managers can demonstrate how investment in aeration, irrigation, fertility, and professional oversight supports both field safety and environmental outcomes.

“Sports field managers have always known that natural grass fields do more than host games – they improve communities,” Bills told attendees. “What the Clean Air Calculator does is turn that belief into credible, science-backed data. It gives managers the confidence to walk into any budget meeting and clearly show that healthy turf is not an expense – it’s environmental infrastructure.”

A Tool for Communication and Advocacy

One of the CAC’s most powerful benefits is its role as a storytelling tool. It converts technical data into public-facing language that resonates beyond the industry.

Statements like “This field cleans the air for 178 people annually” or “Offsets the equivalent of 250,000 miles driven each year” help non-experts understand the value of natural grass quickly and clearly. That clarity improves credibility, strengthens budget discussions, and supports long-term turf preservation.

Benefits Beyond Sports Fields

While the CAC is especially valuable for sports field managers, its applications extend across the green industry.

  • Landscape contractors can use CAC reports to show clients the environmental return of professionally managed properties.
  • Lawn care professionals can demonstrate how healthy residential and commercial turf contributes to cleaner air and reduced carbon impact.
  • Golf course superintendents can quantify the environmental value of managed acreage and support sustainability reporting.
  • Municipal parks departments can align park maintenance programs with ESG goals and community health initiatives.

In every case, the tool reinforces the same message: healthy, well-managed green spaces deliver benefits that extend far beyond aesthetics.

Start Small. Think Big.

Project EverGreen encourages professionals to start with one field, one property, or one park. Use the Clean Air Calculator in a single meeting. Share one result. Those small steps help elevate the profession, strengthen advocacy for natural turf, and position green industry professionals as environmental leaders.

Because when you maintain grass, you’re also maintaining clean air.

Try the Clean Air Calculator now.

Greener Goals for a New Year

Cleveland, Ohio
Greener Goals for a New Year is about strengthening green spaces, supporting healthier communities, and elevating the work of green industry professionals.

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