The Highland Park community has chosen its partners – the winners of the Park Partners grants for implementation of projects to enhance the well being of Highland Park residents. Grant categories fall into the following six categories: entertainment, arts, culture and diversity, safety, and universal access or health and wellness. One program in each category can receive a grant up to $2,000. The voting by the residents took place at the Senior and Youth Center on Sunday January 4, 2015.
Arts: Highland Park High School and Middle School Orchestra – grant money will go toward performances in the community, especially for young children, to spread music awareness and to help raise funds to compete in the National School Orchestra Championships in Lincoln Center.
Environment: Project Enrich HP – Environmental Club of HP High School will run a series of movie screenings and speaker engagements to celebrate the environment and help educate the public.
Health & Wellness: CuttingOutHunger – Winners for a second year, this organization will use the grant to provide the Food Pantry with additional food and supplies.
Culture & Diversity: Community Library for Touchstone Discussion Project Groups – This group will create discussion groups to bring together people from diverse cultures and backgrounds using a curriculum called Touchstones Discussion Project. Will enable residents to learn about new cultures and will provide resource material for the discussions.
Safety: Family Den’s “Healthy Active Kids” – The Family Den at The Cave will purchase safe “tumbling” equipment for young children to provide a safe place for young children to exercise and play.
This is the second year of the program. Beneficiaries in the program’s first year included the summer outdoor movie program and the food pantry.