Metro Blooms

What We Do

Metro Blooms partners with communities to create resilient landscapes and foster clean watersheds, embracing the values of equity and inclusion to solve environmental challenges.

Our work is rooted in equity and inclusion. We prioritize working with BIPOC, low-income and rental communities impacted by economic, social and environmental injustices. We believe everyone has a right to clean air, land and water.

Supporting Sustainable Landcare Training

Our goal is $20,000 to fund 20 trainees in 2025!

The first $10,000 is matched 1:1 thanks to generous anonymous donors! 

Demand for a skilled workforce in our corner of the green economy is growing. We’re seeing more sustainable practices in our landscapes, like rain gardens that divert and clean stormwater and native plantings that protect pollinators. We need more environmental stewards with the skills to care for these practices. Through our Sustainable Landcare Training (SLC), we’re preparing young adults for an emerging workforce created by millions of dollars of investment in green infrastructure.

Trainees — mainly young adults from communities impacted by environmental injustice — are paid, making the program more accessible. Over three on-site days and some online learning at their own pace, they gain job-ready skills in green infrastructure maintenance. For some, it can be a pathway towards an environmental career.

The 30-hour training includes:

• Identifying native plants, weeds, and beneficial insects
• Learning about the impact stormwater runoff has on our rivers and lakes
• Gaining skills in inspecting and caring for rain gardens to make sure they’re working as designed
• Exploring environmental justice and how historical land use and knowledge can inform sustainable landcare practices

"I really love the sustainable landcare training program because it helped me learn what I know and don't know, and it gave me a nice foundation of best practices for stormwater management and gardening and rain gardens." — Keegan, SLC '24

“Just to be able to identify regular native species or be able to correct someone if, like, they want to know, but they don’t fully know, I can inform them … It’s good to hold that knowledge."  — Edwin, SLC '23, reflecting on sharing his plant knowledge with residents while working as a member of the Metro Blooms Design+Build landcare crew.

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We're making great progress

Our invited speakers offer real-world context, including people who work in relevant fields and those with lived experience. A new speaker in 2024, Tara Perron, Tanaǧidaŋ To Wiŋ, a Dakota and Ojibwe mother, shared Indigenous perspectives relating to land and water.

“One of the highlights of my summer was attending the SLC and meeting your team. Tara’s talk especially inspired me to pursue a greater impact in my community … After a summer spent in climate advocacy, organic gardening, removing invasive species, collecting native seeds, and planting trees, I’m now committed to a career focused on healing the natural world.” — Amud, SLC ‘24

We also provided greater support for next steps, including:

• Hosting a networking event for trainees with potential employers
• Piloting a mentorship program linking trainees with environmental professionals
• Connecting five trainees to green infrastructure roles in Minneapolis
• Hiring six trainees for a neighborhood rain garden project

Will you join us this year?

Your support will help fund 20 trainees in 2025.

Your gift is matched dollar for dollar - until matching funds run out!

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Give to the Max Day donors like you provide critical support for this program.  

Last year, you helped fund nearly half of 55 participants who went through the training. 

Together, let’s help young adults prepare for skilled green jobs that benefit their communities and our earth.

“The program opened up my eyes to seeing a lot more things in our environment that we need to change, that we need to make better to grow, and I think that’s big. I think Metro Blooms is doing the right thing to make people realize that.” — Jay, SLC '24

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