ROCHELLE –– Rochelle Rotary began the year with a message to plant trees. Flagg-Rochelle Public Library and HUB Project are helping to grow the future through learners and readers.

Apples, mangoes, kiwi, and jackfruit: on Tuesday, June 20 students in the HUB Project were naming fruit that began with the same letter as their name. The opening was part of a lesson on Trees That Feed and the impact of trees on the environment.

Rotary, HUB Project, and Flagg-Rochelle Public Library have partnered this summer to grow future generations in Rochelle and in Haiti.

Trees That Feed Foundation’s mission is to plant food-bearing trees to feed people, create jobs, and benefit the environment. Trees That Feed Foundation believes that tree crops are a large part of the answer to world food concerns. Tree crops are nutritious; yet require less input of labor, agro chemicals, fertilizers and space than field crops.

Trees That Feed works to plant breadfruit trees with Three Angels Children’s Relief Foundation in Haiti. The foundation was brought to Rotary’s attention through Ann Rice who serves on Rotary board as well as Three Angel’s board of directors.

Haiti is the most mountainous nation in the Caribbean with rugged mountains interspersed with coastal plains and river valleys.  The tropical climate is challenged by periodic droughts and floods as well as hurricanes.  Deforestation has heightened the effects of these challenges. Fifty years ago forests covered 60 percent of Haiti – today less than one percent remains forested.

According to Trees That Feed Foundation, civil unrest, poverty, corruption, poor infrastructure, poor healthcare, and lack of education stand in the way of economic growth in Haiti’s free market economy. It is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Half the population lives on $2 a day.

Despite the economic and natural disasters, Trees That Feed Foundation is optimistic for Haiti’s future and has planted over 30,000 trees to date.

The Rochelle organizations are looking to continue Haiti’s future by helping plant trees and inspire the youth in Haiti.

Kids involved with the HUB Project and the summer reading program at Flagg-Rochelle Public Library each received a coloring book this summer. “Plant a Tree and Good Things Happen” is an educational coloring book by Trees That Feed Foundation. For each child in Rochelle that received a coloring book, a child in Haiti will receive one as well. The coloring books distributed in Haiti will be printed in three languages: French, Creole and English to help the students learn.

Flagg Rochelle Public Library, with assistance from Rochelle Rotary, purchased 35 book sets to distribute to families of children in kindergarten through fourth grade summer readers.

Library director Sarah Flanagan explained, “It allows our Summer Readers to be aware of other countries and teaches them what is grown in other countries. I think that it is important that they learn about other cultures. For some of our Summer Reading Families, Rochelle and the Library are their vacation throughout the summer months. This allows them to explore other places and learn something while having fun.”

While children color through the book each page mentions benefits trees contribute to the earth. From the food they produce to their environmental impact and the jobs they create, students will learn many aspects of a trees impact.

Flanagan added, “our hope is that this addition to our Summer Library offerings will allow the families to grow and, as the opening statement reads, ‘Plant a tree and good things will happen!’ Plant an idea and good people will make a difference and change the world.”

During a presentation Tuesday morning at the HUB Project by Judy Osgood, one of the books authors and Mary McCaughlin, Trees That Feed Foundation founder, discussed Trees That Feed as well as shared information on trees. The spent the afternoon talking with students in the summer reading program at the library.

Trees That Feed Foundation is working in 10 countries planting fruit trees and assisting smallholder farmers in tropical regions. The foundation provides equipment and training and supports school feeding programs. Some of the countries the foundation is involved with include Jamaica, Haiti, Bahamas, and Puerto Rico. Trees That Feeds Foundation has planted over 75,000 fruit trees, mainly breadfruit, since the foundation was established in 2009.

Geri-Dee Hayden, Rochelle Rotary president, explained Rochelle Rotary has funded Trees That Feed and Three Angels Orphanage for several years with over $10,000 in donations. The Rochelle club purchased the first breadfruit trees that were planted at the orphanage.

Hayden added, “Sarah Flanagan and Jodee Craven are both on our Rotary Board, and help tie our philanthropic goal to promote literacy as well as environmental sustainability by utilizing these within their organization’s programs. I am very grateful to both of them for finding ways for us to make a meaningful impact in educating our youth.”

To further implement the lesson on trees and their positive environmental impact, HUB Project will plant a tree on Thursday morning at Lincoln School. Under that tree students will be able to play, breath fresh air and cool off in the shade for generations to come.

To sponsor a tree, make a donation or purchase a coloring book visit treesthatfeed.org.