When rain falls on our city, it can overwhelm parts of the sewer system, carrying raw sewage from buildings into local waterways hundreds of times per year. This is bad news for fish, wildlife, and the health of local estuaries, and can create public health risks for beachgoers, kayakers, and fishermen.
One way to lessen this problem: creating green areas that slow or absorb runoff before it gets into the sewer system. It is an efficient and beautifying solution that nourishes flowers and trees while it protects our local waters. But the work has to be scaled up to make a real difference. That’s why we’re funding Riverkeeper to advocate for policies and funding that will provide more green roofs, permeable pavements, and pocket parks throughout the city.
We’re able to make this grant thanks to a Legacy Society member who created a fund in memory of her grandmother and great-grandmother—the Augusta Lehman Harlem and Lillian Harlem Martin Fund. The fund is dedicated to protecting the air, water, and green spaces that sustain us.
Learn how to create a fund that benefits the causes you care about, in perpetuity.