Neighborhood Forest, a local organization founded in 2010, works with area businesses to sponsor the purchase of hundreds of small saplings for distribution at area primary schools. Every year on Earth Day, the trees (12 inches or smaller) are given to students and their parents, who are educated on where and when to plant them.

Local businesses supporting this cause include Linden Hills Co-op, Peace Coffee, The Wedge, Seward Community Co-op, Birchwood Café, Eastside Co-op, Chinook Book, Hampden Park Co-op, Mississippi Market and Do Good Diapers.

Since its founding, Neighborhood Forest has reached more than 5,000 schoolchildren and has helped plant more than 2,500 trees across Minnesota, mostly in Minneapolis and St. Paul. This year, Neighborhood Forest plans to give away more than 2,000 trees, expanding to its first out-of-state school in northern Illinois. The goal is to reach 100 schools and plant 10,000 trees by 2015 and, eventually, expand nationally and internationally.

Individuals can also sponsor trees to be given to students. Trees are $1.99 each and can be ordered on the organization’s website, NeighborhoodForest.org.

For more information or to become a sponsor, visit NeighborhoodForest.org.