Keep America Beautiful Announces $5,000 Grant for Lady Bird Johnson Park, Honoring Former First Lady’s Legacy of Beauty in Time for Mother’s Day
Grant supports replanting of flowers and trees and other restoration in national park located on scenic George Washington Memorial Parkway along Potomac River
A scenic view of Lady Bird Johnson Park during springtime, showcasing blooming flowers and lush greenery.
ARLINGTON, VA, May 8, 2025 – Keep America Beautiful® and Keep Virginia Beautiful today announced a $5,000 seed grant to support the beautification and restoration of Lady Bird Johnson Park, a scenic gem along the George Washington Memorial Parkway on the Virginia side of the Potomac River directly across from the Nation’s Capital.
The initial grant will fund the replanting of trees and flowers and the restoration of park benches. The funds will be distributed through a grant to Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail as part of Keep America Beautiful’s Greatest American Cleanup™.
“It feels especially fitting to announce this grant just in time for Mother’s Day as we honor Lady Bird Johnson—a mother, grandmother, and First Lady whose vision and leadership sparked a national beautification movement that still inspires our work today,” said Jennifer Lawson, President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful. “She knew that beautiful spaces do more than please the eye—they strengthen our bonds with one another and nourish our well-being.”
Lady Bird Johnson and Secretary of the Interior Udall look at a sign depicting the placement of flowers and trails as part of the Beautification of Columbia Island. The park was later renamed Lady Bird Johnson park due to her contributions and work in the Beautification Project.
“My grandmother, Lady Bird Johnson, believed that the beauty found in nature had the power to uplift, heal, and bring people together,” said Lucinda Robb, who serves as honorary co-chair of the Greatest American Cleanup. “I think she’d be pleased to know that this park is being cared for, not because it bears her name, but because it reflects the values she held so dear.”
Lady Bird Johnson Park, originally known as Columbia Island, was renamed in 1968 to honor the First Lady’s tireless efforts to beautify America. As First Lady, she championed efforts to clean up cities, reduce pollution, create green spaces, and plant wildflowers along the nation’s highways. Long before sustainability became a national focus, she reminded Americans of the connection between beauty, health, and civic pride. While President Johnson was in office, he and Mrs. Johnson would often retreat to the quiet and beauty of the park, located just across the river from the White House.
“Lady Bird Johnson Park is one of the most scenic places along the Mount Vernon Trail. Thousands of walkers, runners, and cyclists pass through each week, often pausing to take in the views of the Potomac and the monuments beyond,” said Judd Isbell, President, Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail. “This grant will help us preserve and enhance a space that offers not just beauty, but a connection to nature, something that Lady Bird Johnson championed throughout her life.”
The Mount Vernon Trail is an 18-mile paved multi-use trail that stretches from George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate to Theodore Roosevelt Island.
Keep Virginia Beautiful is seeking corporate and community partners to expand this restoration initiative and help ensure Lady Bird Johnson Park remains a welcoming and vibrant green space for generations to come.
“The seed money will be used to plant flowers and trees, helping to restore the park’s bloom,” said Cristi Lawon, Executive Director of Keep Virginia Beautiful. “We also hope it will sow additional support for the park’s continued restoration—including the installation of a new water fountain where visitors can drink and refill bottles, helping to reduce litter and protect this beautiful space.”
For sponsorship/partnership opportunities related to Lady Bird Johnson Park, please contact Cristi Lawton, Executive Director, Keep Virginia Beautiful at clawton@keepvirginiabeautiful.org.
About Keep America Beautiful®:
Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization, inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful strives to end littering, improve recycling, and beautify America’s communities. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Donate and take action at kab.org.
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Leslie McClain
Keep America Beautiful®