FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Arlington, VA) – October 7, 2010 – The fundraising campaign to keep the David M. Brown Planetarium in Arlington, Virginia, in full operation and to upgrade the facility has entered a new and very promising stage with the approval of a major grant from the Children’s Fund of Metropolitan Washington. In mid-September, the Board of Directors of the Children’s Fund approved the transfer of assets currently valued at approximately $50,000 to the Friends of Arlington’s David M. Brown Planetarium. The gift is to be made in late October. This is the first major grant to the newly formed non-profit organization that is raising funds in response to a challenge set by the Arlington County Public School Board. The goal is to raise approximately $400,000 by the end of the current academic year, which is the amount cited in a recent study for upgrades to the projection equipment, seating, and lighting.
The following is an excerpt from the Children’s Fund website, www.childrensfund-dc.org.
The Children’s Fund has been a project of the German Orphan Home of the District of Columbia that was established in 1879 as a safe haven in which children grew to adulthood in a secure environment.
In 1980, we continued this mission by using our resources to fund non-profit charitable organizations that served at-risk children and youth within their own communities in the greater Washington DC area.
Our mission supported area programs that provided a creative, consistent and positive impact on the lives of at-risk children and youth. We looked to fund activities that instilled optimism and broadened a child’s horizon, and appreciated the uniqueness of each child.
The Board of Directors of the Children’s Fund recently voted to close the foundation. It was then necessary for them to identify another non-profit organization or organizations with a similar tax-exempt purpose to which to transfer their assets. The purpose of the Friends of Arlington’s David M. Brown Planetarium includes “providing curriculum-based instruction and educational services to students in the Arlington Public Schools, to students in private and parochial schools in Arlington, and to students in neighboring jurisdictions”. This is a good match to the mission of the Children’s Fund, in that the planetarium serves all the children in Arlington and surrounding communities, without regard for economic or social circumstances.
This grant is the first of what is hoped will be a series of substantial gifts, grants, and sponsorships from foundations, corporations, and government institutions that support science education for children and families in Arlington, the surrounding region, and nationally. Donations larger than $1,000 will be recognized by listing the benefactors on elegant, wall-mounted plaques, prominently displayed at the entrance to the planetarium. The categories of major gifts will be recognized as follows:
COMETARY FRIEND
gifts from $1,001 to $2,500
PLANETARY FRIEND
up to $5,000
STELLAR FRIEND
up to $10,000
SUPERNOVA FRIEND
up to $20,000
GALACTIC FRIEND
up to $50,000
COSMIC FRIEND
above $50,000
Donations may be made by check, payable to the Friends of the Planetarium, delivered in person or by mail to the Treasurer of the Friends of Arlington’s David M. Brown Planetarium, a non-profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. EIN: 27-2760025.
All donations are tax-deductible. The mailing address is:
Friends of the Planetarium
P.O. Box 7029
Arlington, VA 22207
Contact Person:
Alice Monet, Board President
alicemonet@gmail.com
(703) 626-6101
