Two latest major grants bring total to $521,972
DENVER (January 26, 2017) – Colorado Garden Foundation (CGF), a non-profit that funds horticultural-specific projects and scholarships throughout Colorado, announced two new major grants today, bringing its annual grant giving total to $521,972, including matching grants of $22,350 provided by Bellco, to 61 Colorado organizations for horticulture-related projects in 2017.
The two major grants awarded include a grant of $75,000 to the 73-year-old Sewall Child Development Center headquartered in Denver’s Congress Park, to help build a new sensory garden at the school. The second grant is for Englewood Schools for the amount of $74,341, to fund a new greenhouse at the school.
Sewall Child Development Center, an inclusive early childhood program that serves children of all backgrounds and abilities, including those with special needs, will apply the grant funds to an outdoor sensory garden that can serve as an additional educational environment. Adjacent to the more formalized play environment, the garden will be organized around natural materials designed to stimulate all five senses and encourage hands-on, multi-sensory, and social learning. Students from the headquarters and nine satellite locations will have year-round access to the garden.
“With this grant and our new sensory garden, we will be able to apply therapeutic horticulture techniques into Sewall’s transdisciplinary educational and intervention model, providing a safe, non-threatening space that serves as an opportunity for sensory interaction and ongoing early education for our students,” said Heidi Heissenbuttel, President and CEO for Sewall Child Development Center. “The grounds will also be available as a neighborhood space when our academic schedule allows, making this garden a true asset to our community in more ways than one.”
Englewood Schools will use their grant funding to construct a commercial-sized greenhouse to support student learning through a series of four classes (Intro to Agriscience, Biology of Sustainable Agriculture, Water and Soil Chemistry in Agriculture, and Entrepreneurship Through Agribusiness). These courses are designed specifically around sustainable agricultural and horticultural practices, and farm to table operations for high school students in the Denver metropolitan area.
The ultimate goal for the greenhouse will be for students to grow enough vegetables and greens to satisfy the needs of food services for the entire Englewood school district, and eventually begin to explore other entrepreneurial options such as supplying boutique items including micro-greens and vegetables to local restaurants and catering companies.
Other Colorado Garden Foundation grants range from $200 to $15,000, with funds supporting community gardens, greenhouses, a horticulture therapy program, a healing garden, a children’s reading garden, landscape and trail improvements, a bird habitat and educational gardens and programs, just to name a few.
“As we approach our annual Colorado Garden & Home Show these major grant projects serve as an excellent reminder of where the show proceeds go, which is directly back into the community to support various horticultural projects and programs across the state,” said Jim Fricke, executive director of Colorado Garden Foundation. “We thank everyone who attends our show for contributing to these inspiring and worthy causes.”
Since the 1970s, Colorado Garden Foundation has awarded more than $7.2 million to more than 300 organizations in Colorado. To learn about the grants and scholarship program, please visit ColoradoGardenFoundation.org.
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About Colorado Garden Foundation
Colorado Garden Foundation, a nonprofit corporation, 501(c)(3), provides funds for horticultural-related grants and scholarships for the benefit of Colorado. To date, the Foundation has awarded more than $7.2 million for horticultural projects and scholarships throughout the state. Colorado Garden Foundation presents the Colorado Fall Home Show focusing on home renovation, remodeling and sustainable living and the Colorado Garden & Home Show, the Rocky Mountain region’s largest, oldest and most prestigious consumer garden and home improvement show west of the Mississippi in February. For more information, visit ColoradoGardenFoundation.org, facebook.com/coloradogardenfoundation or Twitter @cogardenfdn