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Clean streets and rivers for Chicago: restoring Harmony Beach

A neighborhood-led restoration of Harmony Beach needs $1,450 for saplings and equipment.

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Chicago, Illinois, United States2,145 views
Leah L. Merritt
Email verifiedPhoto verified
Chicago
Harmony Beach has been used as an informal dump for years. This August, 32 neighbors turned up for a first cleanup, filling 99 bags in a single morning. Now we want to restore it for good. We have a plan agreed with the district council, including native species selected by a local botanist. The area floods more each year, and fish have returned for the first time in a decade after our first cleanup. Restoring it will protect homes and bring back shade. All the labor is volunteered. We just need materials. Funds buy saplings, gloves, bags, hire of a skip, and signage. Where the $1,450 goes: โ€ข Waste removal and skip hire: $270 โ€ข Tools and protective gear: $370 โ€ข Native saplings and stakes: $810 With deep gratitude, Leah

Updates from Leah

  1. 32% there. I met with the nursery and confirmed the amounts. Thank you.

  2. Good news. Because of your gifts ($359 in total) the first invoice got paid this week. Still a way to go but it feels less lonely.

  3. 14% there. I met with the nursery and confirmed the amounts. Thank you.

  • Emilia J. Scott ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ ยท $100

    โ€œHope it all works out. Thought of Leah all day after reading this. - Rochesterโ€

  • Grace Adwoa Manu ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ญ ยท $100

    โ€œBe well. Only $100 but hope it helps. - Madinaโ€

  • Paolo Enrico Sorrentino ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น ยท $75
  • Emma T. Singh ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ ยท $51.50
  • Ismael L. Fernandez ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ญ ยท $50
  • Liton Abdul Begum ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฉ ยท $50
  • Anonymous ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ฌ ยท $50

    โ€œGod bless. I'm in 6th of October City, thinking of you. - 6th of October Cityโ€

  • Riddhi L. Mehta ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ ยท $50
  • Gabriela Vanessa Borges ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท ยท $45.50
  • Dennis H. Palmer ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ ยท $30
  • Claudia M. Rivera ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ ยท $25
  • Anonymous ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ยท $25
  • ศ˜tefan Toma ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด ยท $25
  • Everett J. Reid ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง ยท $25
  • Tudor Vasile Popa ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด ยท $25

    โ€œStay strong. Gave what I could this week. - Iaศ™iโ€

  • Dorcas Faith Mwangi ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฌ ยท $25

    โ€œStay strong. Please keep us posted. - Fort Portalโ€

  • Lucรญa M. Lara ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด ยท $20
  • Zhen Fang Zhou ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ ยท $20

    โ€œWish I could do more. Hope this covers a bit of it. - Hialeahโ€

  • Miguel J. Villalobos ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ ยท $20
  • Logan E. Bennett ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง ยท $13

Reviews

2.4(7 reviews)

Only people who gave to this need, or whose offer to help was accepted, can review it.

  • Heru Yoga Suryadi๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉVerified donor
    Went above and beyond

    This experience has restored my faith in the goodness of people. The helper was professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely cared about my outcome.

  • Awa Diallo๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฑVerified helper
    Delivered on promises

    I was struggling and didn't know where to turn. This person stepped in without hesitation and provided exactly what I needed. Their compassion and expertise made all the difference in my life.

  • Janet Halima Mwangi๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ฟVerified helper
    Exactly what I needed

    I was going through a tough time and this person's support was invaluable. They didn't judge, just helped. That kind of genuine compassion is rare these days.

  • Hyun-ju Eun-kyung Ryu๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธVerified donor
    Reliable and compassionate

    Couldn't have asked for better support. They listened carefully, understood my situation deeply, and provided thoughtful advice that actually worked. Thank you so much.

  • Rabin Anil Gurung๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ตVerified donor
    Practical and effective help

    I was struggling and didn't know where to turn. This person stepped in without hesitation and provided exactly what I needed. Their compassion and expertise made all the difference in my life.

  • Beatrice Elizabeth Mensah๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ญVerified helper
    Outstanding person

    This is the kind of person who restores your faith in humanity. They didn't just offer help; they genuinely cared about my wellbeing and followed through on every commitment.

  • Mei Rin Nakano๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ตVerified donor
    Quick response, great follow-up

    Perfect example of someone making a real difference. They took time out of their busy schedule to help me and never made me feel like a burden.

Questions & comments

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  • everyone deserves a bit of help sometimes. Read this on the bus and kept thinking about it all day. Love from Lahore.

    • good luck, Leah. Projects like this are what make a place worth living in. Our whole street has been following this since the weekend

      • Take care, Leah. More neighborhoods should do this. Don't be hard on yourself for asking. God bless.

        • Sending love, Leah. Everyone deserves a bit of help sometimes. Love from Mumbai

          • Hope it all works out. Shared it with a few friends. Don't lose heart. A few weeks ago I was in a hole too and it changed faster than I expected.

            • Sending strength, Leah. Reading this made my day a bit heavier but I'm glad I did. Don't give up.

              $896.50 raised of $1,450

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