Many of us who are concerned about the environment do as much as we can to take action in our own homes. To have a bigger impact, we can go beyond what we can accomplish in our own lives by investing in or donating to an environmental organization that is working on a larger scale.
Supporting Sustainable Blacksburg
To preserve and enhance sustainable living in Blacksburg and environs by promoting clean energy, smart growth and mobility, ecological integrity, social equity, and reduction of waste (especially carbon emissions and pollution).
Sustainable Blacksburg’s Mission
As a non-profit, Sustainable Blacksburg relies on donations in order to actualize our mission and goals. We support sustainable growth in Blacksburg through educational programs and small grants for community projects, as well as striving to be a source of accurate, up-to-date knowledge on sustainability issues relevant to our community. Please consider our organization when you are investing in sustainability!
SUPPORT US
While we are primarily supported by the hard work of our dedicated volunteers, your financial support is needed and appreciated. Click on any of the options listed below to learn more about how you can donate.
> Check
Make checks out to Sustainable Blacksburg, Inc. And mail to
- Sustainable Blacksburg
- 141 Jackson St.
- Blacksburg, VA 24060
Please include whether or not you wish to remain anonymous.
> Credit/Debit Card
- CLICK HERE to donate via Click & Pledge
- PayPal – Coming Soon
> While You Shop & Search
- Give with Bing – set Bing as your search engine and select Sustainable Blacksburg as your preferred charity
- Amazon Smile – Coming Soon
- Kroger Community Rewards – Coming Soon
Helping the YMCA Feed Local Children
Last week, we talked about what an important partner the YMCA at Virginia Tech is for local recycling programs. But they have also expanded their efforts to help feed local children in a big way and they are trying to raise some big funds to support the program. It’s hard to have a sustainable community if a lot of children are going hungry. If you missed GiveLocalNRV Giving Day it’s not too late to support this important organization. Head over to their website to learn more.
Supporting our Local Environment
A number of organizations in our area are working to protect the natural world. The local chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society works to promote the appreciation and conservation of native plants and habitats. During this year’s GiveLocalNRV drive, they raised money for the Plant SWVA Natives Campaign. We made adding native plants to your landscape one of our first actions in our 2021 campaign because they’re so crucial to supporting native wildlife habitat. Making a donation will help these efforts. If you missed GiveLocalNRV Giving Day, you can donate here.
Conserving our Community’s Farmland, Forests, Open Spaces, & Historic Places
The New River Land Trust works to conserve farmland, forests, open spaces, and historic places in the New River region of Southwest Virginia. Sustainable Blacksburg has been partnering with them since 2019 to maintain the pollinator garden at the children’s play space at Heritage Park. During GiveLocalNRV, they raised money to continue trail building on Brush Mountain. Missed GiveLocalNRV? You can still donate to this organization here.
Giving in Honor of Susan Garrison
The Susan Garrison Fund was created in 2013 to honor the memory of the Town’s first Sustainability Manager after her passing. Susan was also one of the founding members of Sustainable Blacksburg. Her family started the fund off with an initial endowment from her estate that has been sustained and expanded by members of the fund’s monthly giving circle. These regular donors to the fund meet annually to evaluate grant proposals that align with one or more of the fund’s mission areas: sustainability, community beautification, and environmental awareness. Additional donations from community members like you enable the giving circle to fund more projects. In years past, the SG Fund has provided support to projects throughout the New River Valley including: citizen-centered water quality monitoring, support for regional environmental advocacy groups, youth engagement on climate, creation of community gardens, support for action on food insecurity, and environment-themed public arts projects.
Please consider supporting the Susan Garrison Fund by visiting The Community Foundation of the New River Valley and writing in “Susan Garrison Fund” when asked how you would like to designate your gift.
Non-Monetary Donations
Donations don’t have to be monetary to help out. Share the Spare and the NRV Glean Team are at the Blacksburg Farmers Market on Saturdays accepting donations of produce (and cash) to help those in need. Too many zucchini??? Don’t let them go to waste! Bring them to the market and share your spare with someone else. Or you can buy something at the market to pass along. We are partnering with Share the Spare, the Glean Team and the YMCA at Virginia Tech to share free spare reusable bags at the Saturday markets, gently used but clean. If you need a bag, pick one up. If you have excess to share, drop them off. It seems many of us have more of these than we can use.
Coming Up…
Week 14 starts tomorrow! Join us as we discuss ways to Reduce our Use of Single-Use Plastic. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook to see daily updates.