Grants awarded by the National Recreation and Park Association and The Walt Disney Company
The Highway City Community Science Center has been selected as a winner of the national Meet Me at the Park campaign and will receive a $20,000 grant from the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and The Walt Disney Company, including Disney Citizenship, Disney|ABC Television Group and ESPN. Community members voted for the winning project throughout Earth Month in April.
Meet Me at the Park helps to revitalize and restore local parks and park programs across the country. These park projects will connect kids to nature, inspire healthy living and provide access to sports. The campaign was promoted on social media, ABC Television Network, ABC-owned and affiliate stations, Freeform, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, the ABC app and other digital platforms.
Highway City Community Science Center: Meet me at the Park for Science in the Neighborhood was one of 17 park improvement projects selected to receive grant funding. The $20,000 grant will allow the PARCS Department to operate the Highway City Science Center and take the Mobile Science Vehicle equipped with hundreds of diverse informal science projects including robotics, chemical reactions, and exploring solar and wind power science projects into underserved neighborhoods lacking green space. Additionally, children and youth will be able to participate in hiking, camping, and nature trail service projects this summer, promoting physical activity and nature based educational opportunities.
Mayor Lee Brand noted, “This award recognizes the investments we are making in our parks to foster knowledge and appreciation of science and the environment, and to help create a safer, brighter and healthier future for every child in Fresno.”
“Our continued investment in these types of programs will provide positive changes for our youth that will ultimately have a profound impact on the quality of life in Fresno,” said City Manager and Interim PARCS Director, Bruce Rudd.
“Nearly 70,000 people participated in this year’s Meet Me at the Park campaign, a record number, demonstrating a tremendous amount of support and enthusiasm for local parks nationwide,” said Lori Robertson, NRPA director of conservation. “Many children and families in need will benefit from this campaign, which was made possible by the generosity of The Walt Disney Company. We want to thank them for helping us give back to the communities our members so proudly support.”
For more information about this project and parks and recreation, visit https://www.fresno.gov/parks/ For further information about the winning Meet Me at the Park projects visit nrpa.org/Disney.
To learn more about Meet Me at the Park, visit www.nrpa.org/beinspired.
The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of nearly 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.