News:

Press Release

State College, PA - The Wildlife for Everyone Foundation was awarded a $25,000 grant from the EQT Foundation to expand the reach of the Seedlings for Schools program into schools in southwestern Pennsylvania. The Wildlife for Everyone Foundation’s mission is to promote wildlife conservation and education in Pennsylvania. The Seedlings for Schools program, a partnership between the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Howard Nursery and the Wildlife for Everyone Foundation, was started in 2008 to help children make a connection between the plants around them and the role they play in providing habitat and food for wildlife. During the last two years, nearly 300,000 students and 1,000 schools across the Commonwealth have participated in the program.

The EQT Foundation, based in Pittsburgh, is the philanthropic arm of EQT Corporation, one of the country’s largest natural gas producers. Environmental protection is one of five funding priorities for the EQT Foundation, providing grants to programs that support the preservation of natural resources and encourage conservation efforts that will minimize a negative impact on the environment.

“Creating a partnership with the Wildlife for Everyone Foundation is a natural fit for the EQT Foundation,” said Ellen Rossi, EQT Foundation Manager. “The Seedlings for Schools program has proven to be very successful in connecting students with their natural environment. We encourage children to take a bigger role in understanding their local environment by getting out and being a part of nature.”

Participation in the Seedlings for Schools program is open to all school-age children across the state. Any teacher can request a seedling for each student at no cost. Youth are given the opportunity to plant a seedling outside, take care of it and watch it grow. Teacher Resource Guides are provided to help educators develop lesson plans that emphasize the critical role trees play in the environment. “Participation in the Seedlings for Schools program raises an awareness for conservation,” comments Jerry Regan, president of Wildlife for Everyone Foundation. “Students experience, many for the first time, their role as caretaker of the environment. It can be very powerful.”

“We are pleased that the EQT Foundation values conservation and thank them for their support of this program. We look forward to continued partnerships that engage children with the world they live in and help them experience their role as stewards of our environment,” comments Regan.

The Wildlife for Everyone Foundation is a not-for-profit (501 C-3) organization that provides financial support for wildlife conservation efforts and education throughout Pennsylvania. Since its inception in 2004, the Foundation has raised millions of dollars to support projects including wildlife and wetland habitat improvements, creek and lake restorations, the Seedlings for Schools program and student educational opportunities. The Foundation’s mission connects all wildlife and nature enthusiasts to the great outdoors, including birders, hunters, anglers, students and everyone with an appreciation for nature. For more information, visit www.wildlifeforeveryone.org