DAR ANNOUNCES $2 MILLION DOLLAR GIFT TO SUPPORT ICONIC CHERRY BLOSSOMS TO HONOR AMERICA'S 250TH ANNIVERSARY
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution joins the Trust for the National Mall's Our Monumental Moment campaign as Legacy Leader of the Cherry Tree Endowment
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As the countdown to America's 250th anniversary advances, the Trust for the National Mall and National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) announce that DAR is making a transformative $2 million gift to the nation as the foundational Legacy Leader of the Trust's Cherry Tree Endowment. The DAR gift will support the National Park Service's work to ensure the iconic cherry blossoms endure and bloom for generations to come and will celebrate this commitment with leaders participating in a day of service on the National Mall on October 11, 2025. The DAR is supporting the Trust's Our Monumental Moment campaign, which will focus on legacy restoration projects, civic learning opportunities, and volunteer programming to ensure the National Mall endures and inspires for 2026 and beyond.
The gift was first introduced to the membership at the DAR annual convention, the 134th Continental Congress, by DAR President General Ginnie Sebastian Storage. She will lead the organization through the U.S. Semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the United States, which will include national events, local commemorations of the milestone as well as membership and chapter involvement around the world.
"On the cusp of the 250th anniversary of the birth of our nation, it is a priority for the DAR to support activities promoting this important milestone. We are proud that our DAR National Headquarters is a neighbor to America's front yard, the National Mall, where millions of Americans will have a front row seat to the celebrations of our country's 250th anniversary! It is our sincere pleasure to make a lasting gift to the nation as the Legacy Leader of the Cherry Tree Endowment with a $2 million contribution to the Trust for the National Mall's Our Monumental Moment campaign," said Ginnie Sebastian Storage, DAR President General. "The cherry trees on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. are iconic symbols of our nation's capital and bring joy to visitors from all over the country and world every spring. In honor of the city where the DAR was founded 135 years ago and the seat of our nation's democratic republic, we are proud to make this enduring gift to ensure that the legacy of the cherry blossoms – and the legacy of our National Society – continues to inspire generations to come."
The Trust for the National Mall is the premier nonprofit philanthropic organization that partners with the National Park Service to bring private funding to restore and preserve the National Mall. The Trust is proud to steward the cherry blossoms through its Cherry Tree Endowment and Adopt a Cherry Tree program, both of which support the National Park Service in the care, maintenance and annual replanting of trees.
"This generous gift to the Cherry Tree Endowment will protect the cherry trees and ensure they bloom for generations and is a wonderful tribute from the Daughters of the American Revolution to honor America's 250th on the National Mall," said Catherine Townsend, Trust for the National Mall President & CEO. "The Trust is grateful to the DAR's patriotic and inspiring membership for their longstanding support for our work, including support for the restoration of the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence Memorial in Constitution Gardens on the National Mall. We invite all of America to donate and be a part of our patriotic mission to honor this monumental moment."
The DAR gift will be celebrated with a special "Mall Hands on Deck" day of service event taking place by the iconic Tidal Basin cherry trees on Saturday, October 11, 2025, with Storage and other DAR leaders from around the country assisting National Park Service workers with maintenance and beautification efforts. The event falls on the 10th anniversary of the Daughters of the American Revolution's National DAR Day of Service, which began as an opportunity for DAR members to highlight the organization's commitment to volunteerism nationwide in honor of the day of the founding of the national DAR organization 135 years ago. DAR is also a founding partner of the America250 America Gives initiative and the service event will highlight the importance of volunteerism and giving back to the country as a way to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation.
In partnership with the National Park Service and the National Cherry Blossom Festival, the Trust for the National Mall raises money for the Cherry Tree Endowment to provide a maintenance fund that helps take care of the trees in perpetuity. Interest from the Cherry Tree Endowment will provide critical funds to the National Park Service's tree maintenance team for annual care and maintenance, including tree pruning, soil remediation and select tree replacement plantings. Learn more at bloomcam.org.
The Trust's historic Our Monumental Moment campaign aims to raise $250 million in honor of the U.S. Semiquincentennial to restore and elevate the entire Mall, including the cherry trees, for 2026 and beyond. The campaign will support transformative restoration projects, launch the National Mall Gateway, new digital education platform about the National Mall and expand volunteer programming to welcome and engage the nearly 50 million visitors who are expected in 2026 and for generations. Learn more at nationalmall250.org.
About the Trust for the National Mall:
As the nonprofit, nonpartisan philanthropic partner of the National Park Service, the Trust for the National Mall is dedicated to restoring, enriching and preserving the National Mall. The Trust raises private funding, provides project expertise and in-kind support to help elevate the National Mall and its historic purpose, especially critical as we approach America's 250th in 2026. The Trust leads capital restoration projects, mobilizes volunteer operations and provides innovative educational experiences to ensure the National Mall, with 36 million visits each year, endures and inspires now and for future generations. The Trust is also the philanthropic partner of The White House grounds and President's Park, adjacent to the National Mall.
To donate, volunteer, or learn more about upcoming events, visit NationalMall250.org.
About the National Society Daughters of the Revolution:
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to preserve the memory and spirit of those who contributed to securing American independence. Any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a Patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership. One of the largest patriotic women's service organizations in the world, DAR has 190,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters across the country and several foreign countries. DAR members promote historic preservation, education and patriotism via commemorative events, scholarships and educational initiatives, citizenship programs, service to veterans, meaningful community service and more. Encompassing an entire downtown city block in Washington, D.C., DAR National Headquarters houses one of the nation's premier genealogical libraries, one of the foremost collections of pre-industrial American decorative arts, a National Historic Landmark concert hall, and an extensive collection of early American manuscripts and imprints.
For additional information about DAR and its relevant mission, visit www.dar.org.
Media Contacts:
Daughters of the American Revolution
Bren Landon
202-572-0563
[email protected]
Julie Moore
Trust for the National Mall
202-407-9408
[email protected]
SOURCE Daughters of the American Revolution
Share this article