The Friends of the Public Garden will hold its 56th Annual Meeting on April 14 at 6 pm at the UMass Club of Boston, One Beacon Street. Members, supporters, partners, and park neighbors are invited to attend the Friends Annual Meeting. The evening features the President’s summary of the last year, an annual financial report, and the presentation of the Parks Champion Award, followed by a reception with light hors d’oeuvre. We will also recognize the 2026 Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks grant awardees, with the opportunity for attendees to learn about their projects. All are welcome to attend.Please note this is a rescheduled date, in consideration of the observation of Passover. Register at https://friendsofthepublicgarden.org/events/annual-meeting/
The Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks aims to enhance public greenspaces throughout Boston by providing grants to support the care of trees and turf, sculpture maintenance, and special projects in neighborhood parks where the needs are clear, but the resources are limited. Friends President Emeritus Henry Lee demonstrated a lifelong commitment to public greenspace and historic preservation throughout Boston. Best known as one of the founders of Friends of the Public Garden and its leader for 41 years, Henry was an ardent champion of our entire urban park system. A staunch advocate for the restoration of sculpture throughout the city, he also helped to revive the city’s Art Commission in the 1980s.
In recognition of his commitment to all our city’s parks, and in celebration of his 99th birthday, Friends of the Public Garden established The Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks. This new fund embodies Henry’s commitment to equity in the quality of our public greenspaces. Grants will be supported by an endowment created by the Friends of the Public Garden, established with a $250,000 commitment from our Board. Administered by the Friends, grant decisions will be made by a committee that includes FOPG staff and board, representatives of the Boston Parks & Recreation Department, community volunteers, and the Friends’ arboriculture and sculpture consultants. Learn more, donate, or apply at https://friendsofthepublicgarden.org/leefund/ Awardees will be notified January 12, 2025. For 2024, the Friends of the Public Garden will distribute nearly $40,000 with a grant maximum of $5,000.
The Friends of the Public Garden invite you to the public launch of the Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks, on Tuesday, June 11 at 11 am at the Parkman Bandstand in the Public Garden. Learn more at https://friendsofthepublicgarden.org/leefund/
The Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks will provide small grants for tree and sculpture care and support special projects in public greenspaces in underserved neighborhoods throughout Boston. At the heart of the Lee Fund is a commitment to equity in the quality of our public greenspaces. Henry led the charge to ensure that the Public Garden, the Boston Common, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall are healthy and vibrant public spaces. Yet beyond these greenspaces, his civic vision of the health of all of Boston’s parks will inspire our outreach to community groups, advocates, and other nonprofit organizations to ensure that Lee Fund grants will spread his impact to the citizens and neighborhoods that need it most.
