The American Water Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit
organization created by American Water, the nation’s largest
publicly traded water and wastewater utility company, today
announced it is awarding three grants to support local nature-based
play areas in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and California.
“We are proud to help these communities create public projects
that provide environmental education opportunities in a fun and
engaging way,” said Laura Martin, president, American Water
Charitable Foundation. “The projects will not only benefit the
children and families in these communities, but they will also
encourage greater interaction with and appreciation for our
nation's water resources.”
The projects were chosen based on several criteria including
water components, play value, education value, proximity to
American Water’s service areas, relevance of the project to the RFP
project parameters, use of natural play materials, and
opportunities for American Water employee volunteer
involvement.
The grant recipients include:
• Palmer Park in Coatesville, Pennsylvania is receiving a
$150,000 grant award to revitalize the well-loved neighborhood
park, transforming it into a source of community pride and a
healthy, thriving place for children, families, and adults to
recreate. The space will include a small splash park, a nature play
area constructed of natural materials, a constructed stream with a
small bridge, native plantings, and green stormwater features. The
project will be a collaboration between the Foundation, National
Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), Pennsylvania American
Water, and the City of Coatesville.
• The City of Peoria, Illinois is receiving a $150,000 grant to
build a new public park near Harrison Primary School, called Peoria
GreenSplash. The new water play feature will drain into a bioswale,
providing children an opportunity to play in the water, while
learning about the benefits of native plants and the natural water
cycle. The project will be a collaboration between the Foundation,
NRPA, Illinois American Water, and the City of Peoria.
• Robert’s Lake in Seaside, California is receiving a $150,000
grant to establish greater use and awareness of Robert's Lake for
water-based ecology education for children, as well as offer
nature-based recreation opportunities for people of all ages and
abilities. The new “Robert’s Lake Eco-Recreation Station” will be
designed with the purpose of creating community, including an
outdoor classroom structure and nature inspired play equipment. The
project will be a collaboration between the Foundation, NRPA,
California American Water, and the City of Seaside.
The grants are administered as part of the Foundation’s Building
Better Communities signature grant program, administered by the
National Recreation and Park Association. The program is designed
to enhance the quality of life in the communities the company
serves. The program is focused on parks, as they are critical to
preserving natural resources that have real economic benefits for
communities. Specifically, this initiative concentrates on building
or enhancing nature-based playgrounds and play spaces for children,
and will connect and educate people on environmental stewardship
practices related to water and other natural resources.
“NRPA is proud to partner with the American Water Charitable
Foundation to increase opportunities for children and families to
experience nature and the outdoors,” said Lori Robertson, NRPA
director of conservation. “Ensuring people everywhere have the
opportunity to engage in physical activity and explore nature is
essential to building healthier, stronger communities and creating
the next generation of environmental stewards.”
During the last three years, the Foundation has awarded nine
NRPA grants to American Water communities in California, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West
Virginia and looks forward to adding these three new projects to
its Building Better Communities initiative.
For more information about the Building Better Communities
program, visit www.nrpa.org/BuildingBetterCommunities.
About the American Water Charitable Foundation
Established in 2010 with a founding contribution from American
Water, the American Water Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)3
nonprofit organization that provides a formal way to demonstrate
the company’s ongoing commitment to being a good neighbor, citizen,
and contributor to the communities where American Water and its
employees live, work and operate. The Foundation helps support
American Water employee-identified nonprofit endeavors. More
information about the Foundation can be found at amwater.com or on
Facebook.
About American Water
With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the
largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly-traded water
and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,800
dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based
drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an
estimated 15 million people in 47 states and Ontario, Canada. More
information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.
About The National Recreation and Park Association
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 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.
Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for American Water.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170717005769/en/
Media Contacts:American WaterJoseph Szafran,
856-309-4690joseph.szafran@amwater.comorNational Recreation
and Park AssociationHeather Williams,
703-858-4743hwilliams@nrpa.org
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