On the day Duggal Visual Solutions and the Duggal Big Picture Foundation received our Monarch Waystation certification, a caterpillar transformed into a monarch butterfly right before our eyes and flew off over the East River, headed south.

As Mexico reports its first monarch sightings of the season, we have full faith that our little guy and his Brooklyn-born friends made their 3,000-plus-mile migration safely. Each fall, millions of monarchs travel from Canada and the U.S. to the mountains of Mexico, where they bundle up in pine trees for the winter until it’s time to fly back north in spring. However, the monarch population has steadily dropped over the years, largely due to herbicides aimed at milkweed. While eliminating milkweeds might allow for genetically modified corn and other crops, it leaves monarchs without their primary food source.

The University of Kansas created the non-profit Monarch Watch program to help monarchs on their biannual journey through North America. Monarch Waystations provide milkweeds, nectar and shelter—sort of like rest and refuel stops for butterflies. Duggal is proud to maintain Waystation #22029 outside of Building 25 in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

“We recognize that it’s not always about making another print,” said Jerid O’Connell, VP of Duggal Creative Services and an always-present member of our charitable efforts. “It’s about making a difference. That’s what completes who we are as a company, family and community.”

Does your business have at least 400 square feet of outdoor space and want to do something meaningful to keep a beautiful species thriving? Plant your very own Monarch Waystation—we’ll help you get started! Contact the Duggal Big Picture Foundation to learn more.