Individual Involvment

Everyone can be involved in greening and beautifying Chicago especially through our Tree Partnership program - - that’s where we need your help. People need trees and trees need people – so we’re here to connect you (the people) with trees. Here are some ways you can get involved. Did we mention we like to have fun, too?

Volunteer
Chicago Gateway Green is grateful to its volunteers. Without volunteers we couldn’t accomplish all that we do. Sign up here to be notified of upcoming volunteer opportunities.

Make a Donation. Together we can make this the greenest and most beautiful city in the nation by filling it with trees and then ensuring that we care for them. Every dollar makes a difference.

Gift a Tree. Always wondering what to give the family member, friend or colleague who has everything? How about the opportunity to leave a legacy of a greener Chicago. Make a donation in honor of someone and we’ll use it to help plant trees – a visible, lasting gift. We’ll send you a certificate with the honoree’s name.

Join us on Facebook. We need your help in reaching out to Chicagoans online. And we’ll keep you updated on the latest and greatest in our greening efforts around Chicago.

 

Tree Planting Volunteers
Each year we will hold at least one fall and one spring public planting in Chicago – and we’ll need help from everyone – whether or not you are an experienced tree planter. If you are interested in being on our tree-planting volunteer list, send us an email, and we’ll notify you when our next planting is scheduled. In the meantime, you can help us raise money for these plantings with some of our fun ideas.

 

Photography Volunteers
The work we do is not only good for the environment, it’s also beautiful. Are you a photographer with a passion for shooting landscapes? Or perhaps your specialty is events and capturing the spirit and mood of a great community volunteer effort or fundraising event. If you are interested in volunteering your time and talent to help us showcase our work, please send us an email with your resume and a link to your portfolio. We will contact you when we have a specific need.

General Office Volunteers
Greening and beautifying Chicago is a lot of work and sometimes we need some help around the office so we can focus on our programs. We’re pretty fun people, so hanging around our office to help with filing, data entry, online research, and other general administrative tasks can be a lot more exciting than you think - - and by the way - - you’ll be helping us green Chicago. If you are interested in offering some time, send us an email with your resume and availability.

Help Raise Money
We love to plant and care for trees – we would do it all the time if we could. Help us raise money so we can spend more time greening Chicago. Here are 8 simple ways to help. If you have more ideas – send them our way so we can share them with the rest of Chicago. If you happen to have fun with any of the ideas below, we take full responsibility and would love to see some pictures!

• Attend our fundraisers. The Annual Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament and the Green Tie Ball. Support a good cause just by having a good time.

• Host Your Own Green-themed Benefit Party! Can't wait for the Green Tie Ball? Throw your own green event, complete with organic hors d'oeuvres. Make Gateway Green your event beneficiary – and tell us about it – we love a good time and want to hear about your unique ideas.

• Organize a Community Clean-a-Thon. Gateway Green was founded by a group of businessmen collecting litter in their community. Pick up trash in a local park, street, or other public area. Collect pledges for each bag of litter gathered, and donate the funds to Chicago Gateway Green.

• Recycle, Resell and Reinvest in Chicago. Give old possessions a second life by hosting a yard sale or putting your items up for auction on E-bay. Donate a portion of the proceeds to Chicago Gateway Green.

• Even Shopping Can Be Green When You Shop on Goodshop.com! On Goodshop you can find all your favorite shopping sites, and at check-out select Chicago Gateway Green as your preferred cause. A donation of up to 30% of your purchase will go towards us! You'll be supporting a green organization, and, on top of that, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by shopping from home.

• Host a fundraising challenge with local community groups. A little competition never hurt anyone, right? Challenge your peers to see who can raise the most money for trees. Get creative and put your own voice into fundraising appeals – tell your friends and neighbors why you think they should love trees.

• Involve your business. As employees, we want our employers to be responsible citizens and give back to Chicago. Have you told your company that? Does your office have a matching gifts program or make donations to local organizations? Tell them about Chicago Gateway Green and encourage their involvement. Download a brochure (pdf) that details how a business can get involved.