Sustainable Seattle Receives $60,000 Grant From Russell Family Foundation

March 30, 2011

SUSTAINABLE SEATTLE RECEIVES $60,000 FROM RUSSELL FAMILY FOUNDATION FOR RAIN GARDENS CONSTRUCTION IN FIVE SEATTLE NEIGHBORHOODS

Sustainable Seattle

Phone: +1.206.622.3522 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +1.206.622.3522 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Email: laura@sustainableseattle.org, amy@sustainableseattle.org, nathan@sustainableseattle.org

SEATTLE—Sustainable Seattle, in collaboration with Creatives 4 Community, Home Grown Organics and Stewardship Partners has received a $60,000 grant from the Russell Family Foundation for a project called “Sustainable Rain.” The project includes the construction of rain gardens, storm water training and green infrastructure demonstrations in five Seattle neighborhoods. The project is looking for participation from local businesses, residences and other publicly visible sites in West Seattle, Central District, Beacon Hill, Duwamish and White Center.

The Russell Family Foundation has a long history of funding innovative, local projects and programs and was a natural choice for Sustainable Seattle according to Amy Waterman Project Manager with Sustainable Seattle.

“Russell Family Foundation has been a great supporter of projects in our region that lead to sustainable communities. And they have provided support to Sustainable Seattle in the past. They have also specifically supported rain garden projects in our region, including some with our partner, Stewardship Partners.”

Sustainable Rain's goal is to create demonstration rain gardens and create educational opportunities around sustainable business in each neighborhood that will benefit the business owner, youth in the area, the broader community, and the Puget Sound. One business or organization in each neighborhood will be selected for free installation of a rain garden as well as a free Whole Environment Building (WEB) assessment, a tool for local businesses to assess their sustainability efforts and operate more cost effectively, while managing their “nine domains of happiness.”

“Rain gardens are one of the easiest ways we can make the built landscape function more like the natural systems that preceded it, reducing the risk of floods and the amount of pollution washed into Puget Sound and our lakes,” says Eldan Goldenberg Director of Operations at Sustainable Seattle.

Sustainable Rain will also be having community meetings in each of the five neighborhoods providing training on storm water management, rain gardens, and other sustainable business practices. There will also be funds available on a competitive basis for members of the community to design and install their own rain gardens towards the end of the one-year project.

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Sustainable Seattle

Founded in 1991, Sustainable Seattle is a non-profit organization that promotes sustainability in the Central Puget Sound, nationally and internationally. Sustainable Seattle’s mission is to be a positive catalyst and resource for positive change. We accomplish this mission by working with diverse individuals, communities, businesses and government agencies to build awareness, assess progress, and take action on collective sustainability goals.