To help address these gaps, the Arbor Day Foundation partnered with Groundwork Bridgeport to launch the city’s first-ever free tree giveaway. Hundreds of residents in East Bridgeport received trees from the partnership, guided by data that pinpoints the most heat-vulnerable neighborhoods.
“I know that when I'm in a hot place, the first thing I do is find a tree to walk under,” says Christina Smith, executive director of Groundwork Bridgeport. But trees offer so much more than just shade. “They help with air pollution, flood mitigation, and make it more comfortable just to walk down the street.”
The Bridgeport tree giveaway was more than a one-day event — it was a strategic investment in community health and resilience. And the impact was immediate. Neighbors honked and waved from passing cars. Families thanked volunteers as they planted trees along busy streets. One resident, born and raised in East Bridgeport, summed it up simply: “The people love this, they need this, and they are thankful for it.”
“This type of project is the definition of community empowerment,” said Schroeder. “Letting people choose where trees are going to go on their own property, in their own neighborhoods, that’s how we reforest Bridgeport.”