Annual Report 2022

View the complete PDF of our 2022 Annual Report

From Our Executive Director

I’ve now been at New York Restoration Project for almost three years, but in some ways, 2022 felt like a first. I was thrilled to finally see our staff, parks, gardens, and events operate at full capacity throughout every corner of the city. Our spaces were not just open and essential this year—they thrived!

The season kicked off in March with the return of our popular free tree giveaway program after a two-year hiatus. We distributed 2,000 individual saplings with community partners in every borough and, thanks to the strong demand, will increase that number to 3,500 in 2023.

We continued our longstanding reforestation work in our Northern Manhattan parks where we planted over 1,000 native trees and shrubs, most with the help of volunteers. In Highbridge Park, we planted more American chestnut hybrids in an effort to help restore the functionally extinct tree to its historic range and bolster the native forest habitat. Our American chestnut planting and monitoring effort is the largest urban trial of its kind.

In our gardens, we hosted more than 100 public programs and events including fitness classes, movie nights, back-to-school giveaways, and cooking classes for over 4,000 community members. We were also excited to install Little Free Libraries at more than half of our 52 spaces this season. They’ve been instant hits and led to collaborations with schools, libraries, bookstores, and local authors.

Many of our gardens also continued to be important food hubs where our urban agriculture team provided technical assistance via consultations, tutorials, and workshops. Our staff advised gardeners on all aspects of urban growing, from planning and trellising to pest control and harvesting.

Our urban ag work also extended beyond NYRP’s own spaces to reach our Gardens for the City (GFTC) partners. In roughly a decade, GFTC has built and restored over 350 outdoor spaces for community partners citywide, averaging almost two dozen new gardens every season. A 2022 project highlight was renovating the half-acre Union Settlement campus that is a longstanding resource for East Harlem residents.

None of this work would be possible without your support. Thank you for your commitment to New York Restoration Project and to ensuring that every New Yorker has access to the benefits of nature. I look forward to working with you in 2023.

With gratitude,


Lynn Bodnar Kelly, Executive Director

From Our Board Co-Chairs

Despite the many challenges our great city has faced in recent years, New York has come out even stronger, and we at NYRP are so proud to have played an important part.

In 2022, we continued to work with communities citywide to improve and maintain the green spaces that have always been vital locations for growing and gathering. We’ve worked with dozens of organizations and hundreds of community partners to support New Yorkers’ needs.

With the help of partners and volunteers from every borough, this year we:

  • Removed 60 tons of trash from parks
  • Composted 50 tons of organic materials
  • Planted or distributed over 8,000 trees, perennials, and seedlings
  • Worked with over 700 urban gardeners to cultivate fresh produce
  • Hosted 129 workshops, skill shares, and consultations for gardeners through our Urban Agriculture program
  • Hosted over 100 public events for over 4,000 community members
  • Built 20 new green spaces at schools, community organizations, and public housing campuses
  • And welcomed over 1,200 volunteers to plant trees and help steward our parks and gardens

We’ve learned just how strong and resilient our city is. NYRP will continue to support our neighbors while working to ensure that every New Yorker has access to these crucial natural spaces for years to come.

We are thrilled with what we accomplished in 2022 and we couldn’t have done it without you, our dedicated donors. Thank you for believing in equitable and enriching green space for all New Yorkers. Your support continues to make a difference every day in the communities that need it most.

With gratitude,


Helena Durst and Darcy Stacom
Board of Trustees Co-Chairs

Mission and Values

New York Restoration Project believes that access to nature is a fundamental human right.

Learn More

Revitalizing Open Space

With more New Yorkers than ever seeking access to open space. demand for NYRP’s work has never been greater. “The interest in our programs has grown each year since the pandemic started,” says Director of Garden Horticulture & Citywide Greening Projects Jason Sheets.

Read More

Growing Community

NYRP events returned in full force in 2022: from March through October, we hosted more than 100 public programs. “Programing came back in a huge way,” describes Senior Engagement Manager Jessica North. “In some ways it was even busier than before COVID in 2019.”

Read More

Building Urban Resilience

Our overarching goal in both Highbridge and Sherman Creek Parks has always been to restore and maintain robust native ecosystems while keeping the parks accessible and inviting for visitors. This has been a long-term undertaking, but in 2022, we saw several important developments that underscored the effectiveness of our approach.

Read More

Download the Report

View, download, and print the full PDF of our 2022 Annual Report

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Financials

2022 Operating Revenues $6,347,515

All figures based on audited financials.

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2021 Operating Expenses $7,431,054

This statement of functional expense reflects $777,315 in depreciation of garden improvements and equipment.

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2022 Leadership

This list includes the Board of Trustees as of the close of our FY22 on September 30, 2022.

Board of Trustees

Bette Midler, Founder 
Helena Durst, Co-Chair 
Darcy Stacom, Co-Chair 
Vered Rabia, President 
Erhard Marius, Treasurer 
Samuel Ashner
Betty Y. Chen
Todd DeGarmo
Susan Donoghue, Ex-Officio
Edmund Hollander
Walter Hood
Michael Kors
Michael Lorber
Shelly Malkin
James L. Nederlander
Benjamin F. Needell
Janice Parker, Ex-Officio
David Rockwell
Josh Sirefman
Sophie von Haselberg
Miriam Wheeler
Jann S. Wenner, Emeritus
Ann Ziff, Emeritus

Chairman’s Council

Janice Parker, Chair 
Pamela S. Baptiste
Charles Bendit
Adrian Benepe
Noble Black
Diane Brownstone
Alexandra Cohen
Sophie Coquillette Koven
Douglas Durst
Amy Goldman Fowler
Tim Gunn
Mychal Johnson
Jakob Levison
Rob Light
Margo MacNabb Nederlander
Joshua Rider
Paul D. Selver
Andrea Woodner

 

people holding saplings in a garden and smiling at the camera

NYRP's beloved free tree giveaway program returned in 2022 after a two-year hiatus.

Supporters

Equitable access to green space has never been more important. We are grateful for our many generous donors who hold this conviction as strongly as we do.

This alphabetical list includes donors who gave $1,000 or more between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022. This list has been prepared with care but if there is an error, please notify us at [email protected].

Maxwell Abbott
Barbara A. Abeles
G.C. Adkins
E.B. Alexander
The Estate of Priscilla Alexander
Francisco Alvidrez
Margaret Anadu
Anonymous (11)
Cassie Arison and Niv Alexander
Jody and John Arnhold
Lovee and Bob Arum
Samuel M. Ashner
The Ashner Family Evergreen Foundation
Atlas Capital
Gillian Attfield
Lily Auchincloss Foundation
Axonic Capital LLC
Darren Bagert
Vivek Bantwal
Kim and Pamela Baptiste
Bruce Baughman
Charles Bendit
Helen Bernstein
Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc.
Noble Black and Marc Rozic
The Blackstone Group
Bloomberg Philanthropies
BoardPackager Group
Lynn Bodnar Kelly
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
Elizabeth Brody
Brookfield Properties
Diane and Clyde Brownstone
Paul Burkey
C.A.L. Foundation, Inc.
CAA Foundation
Cadwalader, Wickersham, & Taft
Capalino+Company
Katrien Carbonez
Jose M. Castro III
CBRE Foundation, Inc.
CBRE Global Investment Management
Megan Chan
Sara Chase
Checkpoint
Betty Y. Chen and Peter Coombe
Cathy Chernoff
Chicago Title Insurance Co.
Peter L. Christensen
Citizens Bank
NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund administered by City Parks Foundation
Clyman-Merrill Family Charitable Fund
Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation
Jonathan Collard
Jill Conner
Coombe Family Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation
Sophie Coquillette Koven
Susan Courtemanche
Cameron and Jessica Cox
Cozen O’Connor
Nora Creedon and Matthew Lentz
Patrick Crosetto and Benjamin Brudney
Katherine Dalsimer
Carole Bayer Sager and Bob Daly
David A. Staudt Memorial Fund
Sarah K. de Coizart Article TENTH Perpetual Charitable Trust
Nancy Deering Chinn
Todd DeGarmo // STUDIOS Architecture
Delicious Dessert Charitable Fund
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Anke Dening-Volcker
Lauren Donner
Christine Donovan
The Estate of Robert Dore
Jamie Drake
Drake Real Estate Partners LLC
Elizabeth Dunn
Susanne and Douglas Durst
Helena Durst
The Durst Organization
Dwight Funding LLC
James Dyson Foundation
Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation
Ernst & Young LLP
The Essex Avenue Foundation
EvensonBest
Farm Credit Northeast AgEnhancement
The Farvue Foundation
Jonathan Fine
First American Title
Casey and Matthew Fisher
Elliot Friman
Cori Gardner
Gloria Gaynor
The David Geffen Foundation
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
GIC
Gilmartin Charitable Trust
Givsly
Laurence and Sandi Gluck Charitable Foundation
Amy Goldman Fowler and Cary Fowler
John and Marcia Goldman Philanthropic Fund
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation
Abraham & Mildred Goldstein Charitable Trust
Michael Graziano
Greenacre Foundation
Greenberg Traurig ,LLP
BentalGreenOak
Greycroft
Deborah A. Griffin
Allen and Deborah Grubman
The Joseph Handleman “I Believe in You” Trust Foundation
Alexander Hankin
Kitty Hawks and Lawrence Lederman
The Morris A. Hazan Family Foundation
Heinz Family Foundation
Hellman & Friedman
Carol Helms
Shawn Henderson
Patricia Henry
Steven Herman
Armand Herreras
Hines
Ryan Hinkle
Edmund D. Hollander, FASLA
The Deborah K. Holmes Family Foundation
Andrew Homan
Walter Hood
HPS Partners
Jessica Hu and Jonathan Eddy
Julio Hubert
The Hyde and Watson Foundation
ImpactAssets
Raphael G. Jacobs
Cornelia U. Jensen
Doris Johnson
Jeffrey C. Johnson
Johnson & Johnson
Sonny Kalsi
David H. Kaufman
Donna Kenton
The Kite Key Foundation
Michael Kors and Lance Le Pere
The Kors Le Pere Foundation
The Kovner Foundation
Samuel Krost
Sharon Kruger
Carole and Robert Kunstadt
L & R Donner Foundation
Christy Labonte
Cyndi Lauper
The Ralph and Ricky Lauren Family Foundation, Inc.
Leanne Lachman Charitable Foundation
Chris Lee
Loewi-Lemberger Kaplan Charitable Fund
Linda London Ltd.
Michael Lorber
Paul Luciano
David Ludwig
Ji-Mei Ma
The Edith W. MacGuire Charitable Trust
William and Phyllis Mack Family Foundation
The Malkin Fund, Inc.
Shelly and Tony Malkin
Scott and Laura Malkin
Erhard Marius
The Marshall Family Foundation Inc.
Douglas McGrath and Jane Read Martin
Isidore Mayrock
Arlene McKay
Doug Middleton
Bette Midler and Martin von Haselberg
Janet and Tom Montag
Ross Moody
Caroline Morris
Hanna and Jeffrey Moskin Family Fund
MRB Foundation
MSD Partners, L.P.
Henry Muñoz
Dylan Nagler
The Nature Conservancy
Margo M. and James L. Nederlander
Kathy and Ben Needell
Negotiatus
Newmark & Company Real Estate Inc.
New York City Department of Youth and Community Development
NNN Properties, LLC
Getz Obstfeld
Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP
One Tree Planted Inc.
Nathan Orsman
Nancy Owens
Darryl Pardi
Janice Parker, ASLA
Partner Engineering & Science
Elizabeth T. Peabody
Nora Ephron and Nicholas Pileggi Foundation
Nancy and Fred Poses
Vered Rabia
Akila Raman
Rachael Ray and John Cusimano
Katharine J. Rayner
Rialto Management Group, LLC
Josh and Kerri Rider
Liz Robbins
Zachary Robbins
Timothy A. Robert
Robert A.M. Stern Architects, LLP
Rockwell Group
David R. Rogol
ROKT Corporation
Charles Rosenberg
The Estate of Nancy Rosenthal
Clifford Ross and Nicolette Donen
Janet Ross
Bridget Rowan and Don Burley
Royal Waste Services, Inc.
May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, Inc.
RXR Realty
S&P Global
Ken and Nikki Seiff
Paul D. Selver
Marc Shaiman
Bill Shanahan
Steve Shane
Stephen Shapiro
David M. Sherman
The Shubert Organization
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Wendy Silverstein Drobner and Family
James and Marilyn Simons
Joshua Sirefman and Sarah Kim
Iris and Michael Smith
Henry T. Snee
Richard and Donna Soloway
Darcy Stacom, CBRE
Starwood Capital Group
Allison Stern
Jon Recor and Daniel Stewart
Joyce Storm
The Dorothy Strelsin Foundation
Trudie Styler and Sting
Mark Tanenbaum
Sally Thurston
Tiger Baron Foundation
Ann and Andrew Tisch
Tishman Speyer
Coralie S. Toevs
Abby Toomey
Robin B. Tost
Deirdre Towers
Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks
The Travelers Companies, Inc.
Trinity Church Wall Street
Robert L. Turner
Turner Broadcasting System Inc.
UBS Americas
UHY Advisors
United Airlines
United States Department of Agriculture / Natural Resources Conservation Service
Susan Unterberg
Urban Forestry Organization
Margaret and Michael Valentine
Diane Van Wyck
The Verrill Foundation
Matthew Verrochi
Viacom CBS
Sophie F. von Haselberg and Harry Guinness
Vornado Realty Trust
Walker & Dunlop
Holly B. Wallace
Discovery, Inc.
Margaret and Gary Wendlandt
Sondra Wenger
Nigel Weston
Miriam and Garrett Wheeler
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
The Arthur B. Wilner Foundation Inc.
Wils Family Fund
Veronica Windholz
Andrew Wingrove
Nathan Wold
Neil Wolitzer
Andrea Woodner
Jennifer L. Wray
Mahmoud Youssef
The Zankel Fund
Ann Ziff
Isaac Zion