press release:
Nature Consortium will host its annual brunch fundraiser on Sunday, April 1st at the Hall at Fauntleroy in West Seattle. The program will feature youth performances, a live band, and an awards ceremony recognizing key volunteers and community partners. Proceeds from the fundraiser will support Nature Consortium’s arts and environmental education programs in Seattle and King County.

As part of their mission to “connect people, arts, and nature,” Nature Consortium works with local volunteers to restore Seattle’s largest contiguous forest, the West Duwamish Greenbelt. Rebecca Saldana grew up near the greenbelt and spent many childhood summers playing in the woods.

“One day the city came and cut everything back,” she said in a recent interview. “I don’t know what their plan was, but the sticker bushes and everything that was invasive took over, and we were no longer able to access that space.”

Decades later, Nature Consortium now hosts volunteers year-round to remove invasive plants from the greenbelt and install native trees and shrubs. “Having a group like Nature Consortium working on the greenbelt, which is connected to the play area that I had growing up, is very inspiring,” says Saldana. “They’re developing our future leaders to take care of the earth make it and more beautiful through art and green spaces.”

After learning about Nature Consortium’s programs at last year’s brunch fundraiser, Saldana was inspired to become a monthly donor. “Being in that room and seeing young women of color taking such strong leadership roles in the stewardship of our parks was what really inspired me to give.”

In addition to forest restoration, funds raised at the brunch will also support Nature Consortium’s after-school art program for youth in low-income communities in Seattle. Youth from the program’s hip hop dance and singing classes will perform original works during the brunch. Also on the bill is jazz/blues band Billy and the Bouncers, one of many performers at last year’s Arts in Nature Festival.

Nature Consortium suggests a minimum $50 donation per person at the event, which includes the program, meal, and complimentary childcare. For more information or to register for the event, visit www.naturec.org.

About Nature Consortium:
West Seattle-based Nature Consortium is a nonprofit working to connect people, arts, and nature. They are committed to creating community by inspiring a love for the arts and a connection to the environment. Programs include free eco-themed art classes for youth, a volunteer forest restoration project, and the Arts in Nature Festival. For more information or to volunteer, donate, or attend an art class, visit www.naturec.org.