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A. Organizational Information
1. Brief summary of your organization and a summary of organization mission and goals.

The Lena Whitmore Parent Advisory Team (PAT) is an organization that provides educational,
emotional, and financial support to the students, staff, and families of Lena Whitmore
Elementary School. Their goals include the following:

● Renovate the playground to include inclusive, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-
approved equipment

● Fundraise money to support the Lena Whitmore Elementary School community

● Engage the community through activities and events

2. Description of current programs, activities, service statistics, accomplishments and

The Lena Whitmore PAT has multiple fundraising events and activities throughout the school
year. The list of fundraisers includes the following:

● Alternate Giving Market of the Palouse (AGMP)

● Parents’ Afternoon Out

● Flower Power Fundraising

● Silent Auction Gala

● Read-A-Thon

● Flamingo Flockings

● Penny Wars

● Sock Hop

These events bring the community together while raising money towards projects and
community aid. For example, in times of need or crisis, the Lena Whitmore PAT has contributed
funds in the form of Walmart gift cards to those families that needed financial help. These
activities and actions strengthen the Lena Whitmore community as a whole.

3. (If applicable) Your organization’s relationship with other organizations working to

Because the elementary school’s playground is also considered a public park, Lena Whitmore’s
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PAT has partnered with the Moscow Parks & Recreation Department. Together, a nonprofit
organization and local government are working to solve a common problem. The problem is
that the public park is currently not all-inclusive and lacks ADA-approved equipment for those
with disabilities.

B: Purpose of Grant
1. Situation

· Identify the situation, opportunity, problem, issue, or need, and the community that your
proposal addresses.

Lena Whitmore Elementary’s public-park playground is a well-known and loved locale where
students play during recess, children from the surrounding neighborhoods play in the evenings
and where many of them also receive free lunches five days a week during the summer.
However, the playground equipment does not meet ADA standards, thus children with
disabilities are not able to fully enjoy and participate with their peers on the park equipment. In
fact, six students attending Lena Whitmore Elementary are unable to use the equipment due to
their use of a wheelchair and/or disability. While this child is only one example, other children
and adults with disabilities are unable to use the equipment. In order to create a more inclusive
play area, the Lena Whitmore Parent Advisory Team (PAT) is raising funds to buy and install
new ADA-certified park equipment and new floor tiles to accommodate for all children.

· List overall project goals.

Lena Whitmore PAT strives to purchase new ADA-certified playground equipment and new soft
floor tiles. On top of these purchases, the PAT must pay for the installation of the playground
equipment as well as equipment maintenance and upkeep. ** Walking path? Rail surrounding
the outer edges of the playground? **

2. Specific activities

· Specific activities for which you seek funding.

We seek the funding for the purchasing of the ADA-certified equipment, the soft floor tiles,
maintenance of the equipment and the installation fee.

· Who will carry out those activities?

Lena Whitmore PAT will decide which company they will purchase the ADA-certified
equipment from along with the soft floor tiles. They will also decide who will install the
equipment.

· Timeline for your project.

Currently, Lena Whitmore PAT has raised $70 thousand dollars through community fundraising
and is in need of $130,000 more. Since Lena Whitmore PAT was able to raise funds over the
past three years, they will be able to meet their goal of $200,000 within the next two-three
years.
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LENA WHITMORE PAT PLEASE CHANGE OR ADD ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU THINK
WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.

· How will the project benefit the community?

A new ADA-certified playground will benefit the different communities that the Lena Whitmore
playground serves in three ways. For the students attending Lena Whitmore Elementary, an
ADA-certified playground will allow for all students to play together on the playground. New
relationships can form as students learn that everyone can play no matter one’s physical
abilities. The larger Moscow community will also benefit since many families congregate at the
Lena Whitmore playground in the afternoons and on the weekends. With more inclusive
playground equipment, families with parents in wheelchairs and with other disabilities and
children with disabilities will all be able to enjoy the park just as every family should. Not only
do local families enjoy the park, but so do children who are a part of after school and Summer
programs such as Adventure Club and the free lunch program. Through the purchase and
installation of the new equipment and tiles, the programs can invite more participants to join,
allowing for a more inclusive community.

· Describe any long-term strategies for sustaining this effort.

In order to sustain the effort of enabling children to grow, learn and have fun with one another,
Lena Whitmore PAT will ensure the upkeep of the playground equipment. By ensuring that the
equipment stays in safe, usable shape, the playground will be used more often by a wider
variety of children.

3. Impact of activities

· How the proposed activities will benefit the community in which they will occur, being
as clear as you can about the impact you expect to have.

Once the equipment has been purchased and installed, the idea that children will learn how
everyone is able to play, disability or not. It will help new relationships form. Currently, if a
student is in a wheelchair, they have to sit on the sidelines and watch as their classmates and
friends play. However, when they are able to play alongside their peers, they will enjoy the
benefits of time outdoors; they will be able to exercise, and play amongst their friends. In turn,
the children of Moscow will grasp a better understanding of inclusion and their ability to
connect and have fun with all people. And children with disabilities will feel like every other
child who has been able to enjoy the simplest activity, time spent with friends at a park.

· What is the scope of your proposal, i.e. how many people will be served by your project?

Not only will the students who attend Lena Whitmore Elementary School benefit, but so will
the children who attend after school activities such as Adventure Club held at the Lena
Whitmore playground, as well as all children who play on the equipment on weekends and
during the summer.

· Long term strategies (if applicable) for sustaining this effort.

Long term strategies for sustaining this effort include ensuring all children in the greater
Moscow have a safe and fun place to play and nurture their relationships. In order to
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accomplish this, maintenance of the park will take place. On top of that, news of a new ADA-
certified playground will be spread, enabling all children the chance to enjoy the playground
together.

C. Evaluation
1. How will you measure the effectiveness of your activities?

The effectiveness of a new ADA-accessible playground will be measured by the inclusivity it can
offer. Lena PAT will measure the effectiveness of the playground by the increase in use by the
total children that play on the playground. The playground is located near Lena Whitmore
Elementary school—allowing the school to use it during recess, after school, and for events—
and is used by the local community in conjunction with Moscow Parks and Recreation. With
Lena’s unique position the playground sustains heavy use. Considering that four out of ten
Americans have disabilities an ADA-accessible playground is not a want anymore. It is a need.

2. Define your criteria (measurable, if possible) for a successful program and the results
you expect to have achieved by the end of the funding period.

If children with disabilities—or children with parents with disabilities—are able to play together
than the program will be deemed a success. The clear and measurable goal will be in the
increased total number of children that play on the playground.

3. Who will be involved in evaluating this work (staff, board, constituents, community,
consultants)?

The president of the PAT, Nara Woodland, and the vice president, Mary Ellen Brewick, along
with the Principal of Lena Whitmore Elementary school, Kendra McMillan, will be evaluating
the total children that play on the playground.

4. How will evaluations be used to improve your program?

If there is no clear increase in inclusivity and attendance than steps can be taken to promote
free play in local parks while also advertising Lena’s new ADA-accessible playground.