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Date: 3/31/2021
FLORENCE – A fundraiser is in full swing at Look Park to help raise money in order to provide 300 free vehicle entry passes for low-income seniors and families in the community. While the park offers free walking and biking, all cars must pay to enter.
Look Park has partnered with fellow nonprofits such as the Northampton Survival Center, Council on Aging, and local libraries with the goal of getting these passes into the hands of their clients who need them the most.
Development Director of Look Park and fundraiser creator Danielle Brown said, “We kicked off a version of this last year and it was very successful.”
Brown went on to say, last year, the initiative started toward the end of the summer. In the midst of the pandemic, they were able to raise the money within a month to provide 105 passes for Northampton Survival Center.
“This year, we are much bigger and more ambitious,” claimed Brown.
According to Brown, they are hoping to raise about $15,000 this year to expand the giveaway. 140 season passes will be provided to low-income senior citizens. This will cover every senior participating in the city’s Nutritional Outreach Program. 150 passes will be given to low-income individuals and families that are being served by the Northampton Survival Center. Lastly, the final 10 passes will be distributed to local libraries and social service agencies.
The fundraiser launched in the beginning of March and will take place until April. Brown said, they are hoping to have the money raised by then, however they have been off to a slow start.
So far, $2,072 has been raised from 26 donors.
Passes are good for the calendar year, so the sooner the money is raised, the better, said Brown.
Brown added, “I hope we can carry this beyond the pandemic. The park is such a gem and I want to be able to share with our neighbors.”
Contributions to the park are accepted year round.
The primary way to donate is online or by calling the park. Additional information can be found at lookpark.org.