Ford Nature Center Campaign Receives $200K
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — A $100,000 gift from The James & Coralie Centofanti Charitable Foundation will be matched by the Sand Hill Foundation, Menlo Park, Calif., for a total $200,000 toward the renovation of the Ford Nature Center at Mill Creek MetroParks.
The Mill Creek MetroParks Foundation launched the campaign for the $3 million project in July 2018. Since then, the foundation has raised more than $1 million toward its goal and received the matching challenge grant for every dollar raised up to $1 million from Sand Hill Foundation.
“This gift will have a tremendous impact on our continued effort to educate generations of children and adults about the wonders of the natural world through the Ford Nature Center,” said Chris Litton, Mill Creek MetroParks director of development.
Planned upgrades will allow Ford Nature Center to continue serving as the Mahoning Valley’s primary resource on nature education and provide visitors with more hands-on educational experiences in the outdoors through the use of nature classrooms, learning labs and exhibits.
“Our goal in renovating this early 20th century structure to a 21st century learning center is to provide a portal for individuals of all ages and abilities to learn and enjoy the natural space in a very seamless fashion,” Litton said.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
