Creating Impact

In a short amount of time, CanopyBloomington has made a significant impact within the city of Bloomington and its individual neighborhoods. This impact is thanks to all of you who have engaged with us in any form since 2021. It has been a privilege to work with you!

Over the past four years, we have been welcomed into your neighborhoods, yard and homes; entrusted with your precious time and generous donations; shared food, conversation and celebrated after digging in the dirt and planting trees with you; worked with you within the City to build a more sustainable and greener future; and collectively, we have made our neighborhoods and community a little more cohesive and stronger together. Thank you.

That is why we asked to hear your stories. You are the heart and engine that drives Canopy's mission. We are humbled by what you have shared with us. Thanks for helping us make this impact together!

Martha Shedd

Martha Shedd is a Bloomington resident who received three trees in April of 2024 when Canopy planted in the McDoel Gardens neighborhood.

Martha received Yellowwood, White Oak and Princeton Elm trees. Martha's experience and enthusiasm for Canopy prompted her to eventually join its board.

"My husband and I were fortunate enough to receive three trees when CanopyBloomington offered them to the McDoel Gardens neighborhood. At the time, I couldn’t believe there was an organization that would provide beautiful nursery trees, physically dig the holes, plant them, add mulch, and watering bag at no cost to us. Canopy also trains and employs young people through their Youth Tree Tender program, caring for trees in Bloomington parks."

"I am happy to be a part of an organization that seeks to make a better future. Canopy does that. As a board member, I hope to help the organization grow so that many more people receive trees and that the next generation learns the importance of planting and maintaining Bloomington's tree canopy."

Audrey Jo Williams 

Audrey Jo Williams is a resident of the Broadview neighborhood who has been Canopy's liaison and partner through two plantings, one in April of 2024 and the second in March of 2025. Audrey became Canopy's neighborhood partner, making initial contact and offering her home and yard as 'home base' for the plantings.

Broadview continues to be a high priority neighborhood for Canopy, partially due to its size, as well as all of the other factors which feed into planting prioritization. At 219 acres and 632 households, Canopy has yet to connect with all Broadview residents over these plantings. During the first two plantings, Audrey received two Eastern Redbud, two American Hornbeam and a Serviceberry tree from Canopy, all of which she helped plant.

"I really enjoyed the initial potluck because it was the first time I met my neighbors face to face, and it felt really empowering and it felt like there was hope that the neighborhood would come together and really have a shared purpose."

"Planting trees with Canopy did just that, we did finally have this shared purpose. This was the least controversial issue that a neighborhood could tackle together. The plantings established groundwork for us to work as a team and start working on other issues that we have in our neighborhood."

Prior to these plantings, Audrey had a negative opinion of trees, as one had fallen on her house shortly after buying it. She said she needed to fix her 'tree karma' and planting with Canopy was the perfect solution.

"It has been very healing for me to want trees in my yard, and then to also want neighbors to plant more trees. It has made the neighborhood more beautiful. Its also really created a sense of community. It was amazing to have all of these volunteers show up to my house, such an amazing resource. I'm looking forward to volunteering with the program."

Angela Van Rooy

Angela Van Rooy is a resident of the Eastern Heights neighborhood. In 2023, Canopy planted trees in her neighborhood, where Angela received trees. She helped as a volunteer, planting trees in her own yard, as well as in the yards of two other neighbors.

"Since that time, I have had neighbors thank me for helping to coordinate the tree planting. They have praised the experience of working with Canopy, expressed gratitude for their now-thriving trees, and shared their joy at observing the new trees on their daily walks through the neighborhood."

"In Eastern Heights we're always looking for ways to build community and strengthen the bonds among neighbors. Planting with Canopy was a great way to do this in the short-term, and the trees we planted are a beautiful investment in our neighborhood over the long-term. They will be around for future neighbors to enjoy long after the current inhabitants are gone."

Angela also works for the City of Bloomington Housing and Neighborhood Development, helping the city's neighborhoods thrive through community building and grass-roots improvement projects to enhance the quality of life of residents. These goals align perfectly with Canopy's mission and Angela joined its board in 2023.

"I connected with Canopy's mission to make Bloomington greener and more resilient. During my two years on the Board, I've come to know a passionate group of people, who, while coming from different walks of life, nevertheless align in our shared desire to improve our beloved community for years to come."

Sarah Mincey 

Sarah Mincey is the Co-Founder of CanopyBloomington, as well as it's Board Co-Chair, Managing Director of the Environmental Resilience Institute at IU and a faculty member at the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. For Sarah, a good portion of her adult life has been dedicated to urban forestry. She has planted her share of trees, which she always enjoys. She equates Canopy's work of introducing the act of planting trees to those who have never done it as "a gift."

"Planting with someone else feels, if they haven't experienced that wonderful, gratifying experience before, like I'm giving a gift to them ... knowing at some point

they will see the benefits of those trees as well."

Thank you again for supporting CanopyBloomington and your continued interest in growing our city's urban forest! This was another big year for Canopy and the impact we are making together continues to grow.

If you have had a great, impactful or even transformative experience with Canopy, we would love to hear from you and share your 'impact story.' Please reach out to us at community@canopybloomington.org. We hope to see you around Bloomington, at a planting or other Canopy event, or in the woods in 2026!

---

CanopyBloomington

CanopyBloomington envisions a well-connected and informed community where we all reap the economic, health, and ecological benefits of trees. We do this by working together as neighbors to steward Bloomington’s urban forests and other green infrastructure. We imagine a resilient and equitable urban forest created by everyone, for everyone.

Donate today and your gift will be DOUBLED. For the month of December, every dollar you give will be matched and will double the impact of your gift to Canopy. Together, we can make an even bigger difference in our community, so please don’t miss this chance to double our impact!

Donate Today