Journalist, children’s book author and mompreneur Andrea Koehle Jones founded The ChariTREE Foundation on Earth Day 2006 in an effort to give as many children as she can a tree of their own.

“If children are going to make a lifelong commitment to protect the environment for themselves and future generations, they first need time to explore the wonders of nature,” said Andrea Koehle Jones, Executive Director of The ChariTREE Foundation. She says one of the best ways to learn about the environment is to plant, care for and watch a seedling grow into a magnificent tree.

The ChariTREE Foundation is a registered Canadian charity rooted in a philosophy that kids need trees and more time to connect with nature. ChariTREE has has given thousands of trees to children across Canada and around the world through schools and children’s organizations. We also source the correct species for the region and ship trees at no cost to the schools, organizations, teachers and students. Right now we have more requests for trees for children than we can fill so please donate.

Andrea has a Masters degree in journalism and another degree in geography with a focus on international development. She has worked as a journalist for CBC Newsworld International and Newsworld in Toronto, Yellowknife and Vancouver as well as for various communications and environmental organizations. Andrea is also an award-winning documentary producer and author of the The Wish Trees and Summit’s Sock Garden. Andrea wrote the lyrics to the Shannon Robinson song My Persephone (a song about trees) which is now available on iTunes or cdbaby. My Persephone recently made the Jango Airplay Top Ten. (Week of Sept 13, 2011.) A portion of profits from book and song sales are being donated to children’s tree projects.

Originally from Toronto, Andrea lives with her husband and two young children on a tree-topped island off the coast of Vancouver. She runs her global children’s tree programs from a home office and travels often. Andrea just returned from visiting tree project in Zambia. WATCH YOUTUBE VIDEO: Children’s Tree Charity: A Wish Tree for Every Child.

“There’s something so hopeful about planting trees,” said Jones. “I’ll never forget the children we planted trees with in Africa and I’ll never stop trying to bring more children trees.”