St. Helens Recreation Program Receives Grant to Increase Community Programs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2020

ST. HELENS, OR – The City of St. Helens Recreation Program has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Trail Blazers Foundation Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation to create additional structured and unstructured community recreation programs.

The St. Helens Recreation Program will use the funds to support its partnership with the St. Helens School District by offering additional after school programming for school-age kids with an emphasis on accessible play. Part of the grant will also be used to develop unstructured, inclusive community activities for all ages.  

Due to COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines which continue to develop, the St. Helens Recreation Program does not have specific programs selected yet. Programming will be developed with the safety of the community as a top priority. An emphasis is being placed on developing inclusive activities that support mental health through relationship building and physical health through active play.

The Trail Blazers Foundation Play Grants presented by Nike fund nonprofit organizations getting youth active and healthy. These grants are available to nonprofits via an open application process at Oregon Community Foundation every two years, and this year 20 organizations received funding in this category. A total of $400,000 was granted to 48 organizations across Oregon and SW Washington this month via these grants and the Foundation’s Live Greener Grants presented by Avangrid Renewables and Learn Grants. The Trail Blazers Foundation provides funding to nonprofits, schools and youth and is funded through meaningful corporate partnerships, revenue from Trail Blazers license plate sales, 50/50 raffle sales, as well as other fundraising efforts. The Trail Blazers and Trail Blazers Foundation gave more than $1 million to nonprofits and schools during the 2018-19 season.

The mission of the St. Helens Recreation Program is to build community through activity.

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For further information regarding the Trail Blazers Foundation grant, please contact St. Helens Communications Officer Crystal King at crystalf@ci.st-helens.or.us.