24 Mar 2016

Explore Your Greenbelt Showcases Greenbelt Community Foundation and Grant Recipients

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Explore Your Greenbelt Showcases Greenbelt Community Foundation and Grant Recipients
The Greenbelt Community Foundation presents a grant to Green - belt Elementary School for educational games and materials to support counseling for autistic children as well as those who struggle with behavioral and emotional challenges in the classroom. Pictured at the GES Spring Fair (l-r): Mary Ann Canter, Greenbelt Elementary school psychologist; Lois Rosado, board member of the Greenbelt Community Foundation; and Peter Colarco, PTA treasurer. Photo by Suzette Agans

Explore Your Greenbelt is a new initiative of the Greenbelt Community Foundation (GCF) which works with Greenbelt nonprofit and community organizations to provide grant funding for a variety of projects that contribute to the wellbeing of this community. This year GCF is celebrating its tenth anniversary with its Explore Your Greenbelt engagement campaign to encour – age families, individuals and young professionals to participate in specific monthly events and activities to be held by some of the organizations GCF has funded. Explore Your Greenbelt will run from April to October and highlight events or activities from each of 14 organizations. These organizations serve the community in many different ways. Some are specific events like the Green Man Festival. Others are explorative activities like visiting the pond at Hanover Parkway and Ora Glen Drive and investigating the wetland there restored by the Greenbelt Girl Scouts. Participants can win prizes by uploading selfies they take of themselves enjoying the event or activity. Funding for GCF is provided by generous contributions from residents and organizations within the city who pledge their support. Founded just 10 years ago, GCF has already given over $150,000 to a variety of organizations working within the city. The positive effects of recipient projects are felt city wide. Organizations receiving grants include this newspaper, the Farmers Market, the movie theater, MakerSpace, Greenbelt Arts Center, the  Co-operative Incubator, Campfire Girls, Greenbelt Elementary School PTA, alight dance theater and many others. Many people’s lives have been touched by this grassroots initiative. For more information, go to www.greenbeltcommunityfoundation. net/explore. The full schedule is printed in the newspaper.