Fall IMP-act Day: Partnerships for Parks to Commemorate the 20th Anniversary of 9/11 by Planting 70,000 Daffodil Bulbs with 1000+ It’s My Park Volunteers

 

Annual Fall Planting Day Doubles in Size to Commemorate the Victims of COVID-19 through the Daffodil Project  Fall IMP-act Day will be held this Saturday, October 16  Approximately 1000 volunteers will gather in local parks across New York City on Saturday, October 16th for Fall IMP-act Day—an annual citywide park beautification day—to begin planting nearly 70,000 daffodil bulbs in all five boroughs. In recognition of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, many of these bulbs will be planted in remembrance of the victims of 9/11 through the Daffodil Project. Led and organized by Partnerships for Parks (PfP), a joint program of NYC Parks and City Parks Foundation, this year’s Fall IMP-act Day focuses on the borough of Manhattan—where the terrorist attack occurred—with hundreds of volunteers honoring the lives lost on that horrific day. PfP will also provide crocus bulbs to volunteers in Manhattan as part of an initiative started last year to memorialize the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Thousands of volunteers participate in the Daffodil Project annually as a part of It’s My Park, PfP’s signature volunteer program, with hundreds of volunteers coming out on the third Saturday of October—once known as It’s My Park Day—to begin a season of planting bulbs, with nearly 700,000 daffodil bulbs planted over the last 20 years as part of the Daffodil Project. Each spring, New Yorkers across the city enjoy the bright yellow blooms as a symbol of rebirth and healing. The purple crocus flowers will now accompany this burst of color, recognizing the New Yorkers lost to the pandemic as well. This Fall IMP-act Day comes at a critical time for parks and green spaces as New York City tentatively recovers from COVID-19, bracing for new variants and facing an economic crisis. Parks have been a place of refuge for New Yorkers since the pandemic began, increasing awareness about how crucial green space is to the overall health and well-being of the city. For a complete list of projects, please visit our website cityparksfoundation.org/calendar/category/its-my-park/ or contact tomasia.kastner@parks.nyc.gov.  When: October 16, 2020 / Various times Where: Local Parks in all five boroughs Washington Market Park, Chambers St. bet. Greenwich St. and West St., Manhattan St. Nicholas Park, St. Nicholas Ave., St. Nicholas Ter. bet. W. 128 St. and W. 141 St., Manhattan Ruppert Park, Second Ave. bet. E. 90 St. and E. 91 St., Manhattan Leif Ericson Park, 67 St., 66 St. bet. 4 Ave. and Ft. Hamilton Pkwy., Brooklyn Astoria Park, 19 St. bet. Astoria Park S. and Ditmars Blvd., Queens Ewen Park, Johnson Av, W 232 St, Riverdale Av, Bronx Oakwood Beach in Great Kills Park, Tarlton Street and Cedar Grove Avenue, Staten Island Visuals:  Local community groups beautifying neighborhood parks with bulb planting, cleaning, and festivities 20-150 community members of all ages volunteering at each park Elected officials in attendance at some locations About Partnerships for Parks: Partnerships for Parks is a unique public-private partnership between City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks that supports and champions neighborhood volunteers by giving them the tools they need to advocate and care for their neighborhood parks and green spaces. More information about Partnership for Parks is available at www.partnershipsforparks.org.