For a third year in a row, REI has committed financial support to the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership‘s Adopt-the-Atlanta BeltLine program. REI’s $20,000 grant will support the continued work of the 46 adopter groups along 8.2 miles of Atlanta BeltLine corridor currently included in the program.
“REI believes in the Atlanta BeltLine as a long-term investment in our community,” said REI Outdoor Programs & Outreach Manager Jason Lane. “We are excited by the opportunity the Adopt-the-Atlanta BeltLine program presents to provide Atlantans to be hands-on stewards of this transformative project.”
A partnership between Park Pride, Trees Atlanta, the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, and Atlanta Beltline Inc., the four-year-old Adopt-the-Atlanta BeltLine program provides an opportunity for community groups to play a direct role in improving and maintaining the Atlanta BeltLine. Tools are provided free of charge to adopter groups by the Atlanta Community ToolBank, and the City of Atlanta Department of Public Works provides disposal support for the program.
“Through the support of our generous partners like REI, the Atlanta BeltLine vision continues to become reality,” said Atlanta BeltLine Partnership Interim Executive Director and Program Director Rob Brawner. “We are tremendously grateful for their support of this and our fitness programs, where their support is helping make an impact on the health of Atlantans.”
The Adopt-the-Atlanta BeltLine program also announces the participants in the 2014-2015 adoption program, including:
| Fitzgerald Realty, Inc. | Neal Rhoney Ameriprise |
| Inman Alley | AMEC E&I, Inc. |
| Fourth Ward Neighbors | Trees Atlanta |
| Wilderness Network | Resources for Residents and Communities (RRC) |
| Inman Park Neighborhood Association | Reynoldstown Civic Improvement League (RCIL) |
| Grinnell Lofts Condominium Association | Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation/American Explorers |
| Makaila Realty | Sigma Alpha Epsilon |
| EPIC | Center for Sustainable Communities |
| Jacobs | WeCycle |
| Concentrics Restaurants/2 Urban Licks | Edelman PR |
| Volunteer Emory | REI |
| Keller Williams Realty Heart of Atlanta | Westview Community Organization |
| Sockmonkey Clean-up Crew | Emory Lister Society |
| Urban Body Studios | Love Atlanta Foundation |
| Heirloom Design Build | USDA Forest Service |
| The Real Estate Company | West End Neighborhood Development |
| Pebble Tossers | L.E.A.D., Inc. (Launch, Expose, Advise, Direct) |
| Manchel, Wiggins & Kaye, LLP | Psi Upsilon Gamma Tau (Georgia Tech) |
| UGAlumni Association – Metro Atlanta | Calhoun Metalworks / F.M. Shelton |
| Atlanta Gas Light | Adair Park Today |
| Accenture | Dreamscape Designs |
| Belvedere Condos | Stilwell |
| BDR Partners |
“The business community’s investment in helping maintain the Atlanta BeltLine through the Adopt-the-Atlanta BeltLine Program is helping ensure that the Atlanta BeltLine continues to thrive and grow,” said Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. CEO Paul Morris. “It’s exciting to see how many organizations are eager to take ownership over the care of the Atlanta BeltLine – including those who return each year, as well as those who are getting involved for the first time.”
Organizations interested in adopting a segment of the Atlanta BeltLine can log onto beltline.org/adopt to identify a segment of the Atlanta BeltLine they would like to adopt by completing the form located on the page. From there, a contact from Park Pride will facilitate the adoption process. Participants will engage in activities to maintain their area at least monthly, including:
- Picking up litter
- Maintaining greenspace through weeding and invasive plant removal
- Cleaning benches, signage, and other fixtures within their segment of the corridor
- Reporting maintenance concerns, vandalism, or suspicious activities
