Five Parks to Receive Sunflowers in Support of Ukraine
St. Louis, MO (April 22, 2022) – In 2021, Pocketparks planted an Urban Sunflower Field at their Cortex location at 3901 Forest Park Avenue.
“This park was a simple but impactful. Sponsor a Sunflower was one of our most successful fundraising campaigns,” says Samantha Lee Smugala, President and Founder of Pocketparks. “As soon as we realized the sunflower was Ukraine’s national flower, we wanted to elevate this concept and expand the campaign to raise awareness and give to those in need.”
This year, Pocketparks is planting sunflowers in 5 park locations around St. Louis in support of Ukraine as a symbol of resilience and peace. Half of the profits will be donated to Ukrainians in need through the Global Giving Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund, half will support Pocketparks' mission to reduce vacancy in St. Louis.
Parks that will be planted with sunflowers include:
· The DUC Park, 923 Locust St., St. Louis, MO 63101
· Vessel Park, 112 N. Leonor K. Sullivan Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63102
· West End Park, 5900 Clemens Ave., St. Louis, MO 63112
· Cortex Pocketpark, 3901 Forest Park Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63108
· Hyde Park Pocketpark, 2101 Salisbury St., St. Louis, MO 63107
Hyde Park is Pocketparks’ most recent project, set to break ground in late May.
Interested supporters can Sponsor a Sunflower for just $25 through the Pocketparks website at www.pocketparks.co/sunflowers-for-ukraine. The Campaign is part of Pocketparks Give STL Day efforts on May 5th but will extend over the next few months. Sunflowers will be planted in May for blooms in August through September.
About Pocketparks
Pocketparks is a non-profit organization that reimagines and redevelops unused plots of land to provide communities with active and beautiful recreational areas. Through community engagement, the vacant lots are designed to meet the specific needs of the neighborhoods in which there are located. Each park incorporates three things: activity, artwork, and opportunity. Pocketparks are small, but make a big impact. Focusing on reactivating small outdoor spaces allows Pocketparks to create a quick impact without extensive resources. In addition to offering beautiful recreational areas, Parketparks projects help to increase safety, boost community pride, and contribute to economic development.
Established in St. Louis in 2021, Pocketparks plans to grow into a network of parks that sprawl across the region, and eventually expand to other cities and states. To learn more, visit www.pocketparks.co and follow us on social media.
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