The Portland Children’s Museum received a $25,000 grant from the Portland Trail Blazers’ make it better fund today at a ceremony introducing the organization’s newest team members.
The gift represents the Trail Blazers’ commitment to lend an assist to the Museum’s Outdoor Adventure Capital Campaign. The team’s support will be directed to Phase II of the plans for the Outdoor Adventure play area. The Zany Maze, located at the Museum’s entrance, was unveiled in April and features hedges of arborvitae creating a natural garden space free for children and their families to explore.
“On behalf of the entire Museum, we are honored to accept this generous contribution to Outdoor Adventure,” said Sarah Orleans, Executive Director of the Portland Children’s Museum. “This award is a shining example of the Trail Blazers’ incredible support of the Museum, and we are so thrilled to continue our partnership. Thank you for blazing the trail to help make this exhibit a reality for the community.”
The Children’s Museum grant is one of seven recently distributed from the team’s make it better fund hosted at the Oregon Community Foundation. Along with gifts distributed from the Trail Blazers’ make it better foundation, the total gifts on behalf of the team’s charitable arms in 2012 equal $160,000.
“The Trail Blazers, our team and staff have been longtime fans and visitors of the Portland Children’s Museum,” said Traci Rose, Trail Blazers Vice President of Community Relations. “The Museum touches the lives of more than 300,000 children and their families each year, providing them with unique and exciting opportunities to learn and play. The Outdoor Adventure area will spill that excitement outside, giving kids the chance to explore the beautiful natural landscape Washington Park has to offer.”
Prior to forming their own foundation, the team partnered with the Oregon Community Foundation to raise and distribute gifts through the make it better fund. The make it better foundation, established in January 2010, is focused on funding non-profit organizations that are dedicated to improving the lives of children and their families where they live, learn and play.
In addition to the Children’s Museum, other organizations receiving grants this month include Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest, Friends of the Children, Camp Fire Columbia, Native American Youth Association, and the athletic programs at Centennial, David Douglas and Reynolds School Districts. Since its inception, the Trail Blazers’ make it better efforts have contributed nearly $700,000 in gifts and resources to organizations serving children and their families in Oregon and southwest Washington.
