Avista Foundation Awards First Quarter Grants 10 Non-Profit Organizations to Receive Funding SPOKANE, Wash., March 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Avista Foundation has announced the awarding of its first quarter 2004 grants totaling almost $30,000 to 10 non-profit organizations in four communities of the Inland Northwest served by Avista Utilities. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040128/SFW031LOGO ) Anne Marie Axworthy, president and chairman of the board of the Avista Foundation, said the projects selected for funding are making a meaningful difference in the lives of the people in the region. "From professional clothing for low-income women seeking employment to hands-on opportunities for youth, the non-profit organizationsin our region do a powerful job of addressing issues and needs of our citizens," Axworthy said. "The Avista Foundation is pleased to be able to support these organizations in their work." Organizations and/or programs selected for funding in the firstquarter by the Avista Foundation's board of directors were: -- Children's Museum of Spokane, Spokane -- $5,000 towards the Zoom Zone exhibit that will provide an opportunity for children to experiment with hands-on science and math activities and will provide a satellite "zone" in the Sibling Space at Sacred Heart Children's Hospital. -- Spokane Symphony, Spokane -- $5,000 in support of the Arts-in-Education program that augments in-school music lessons and the use of the Spokane Symphony as a resource to support in-school music curriculum in 40 school districts in eastern Washington and the five northern counties of Idaho. -- Spokane Tribe of Indians, Wellpinit, Wash. -- $5,000 for the Spokane Tribal Language Program that teaches the tribal language and culture through Wellpinit schools in an effort to preserve the language. -- Uniontown Community Development Association, Uniontown, Wash. -- $3,000 towards the renovation of the Dahmen Barn and wheel fence that will provide space for artisan workshops, retail sales, visitor center and displays of antique agricultural tools, equipment and machinery. -- Spokane Valley Meals on Wheels, Spokane -- $3,000 for the home-delivered meal program that supports persons who are 60 years of age or older who are disabled and are essentially homebound and/or have difficulty preparing meals for themselves. -- YWCA Spokane, Spokane -- $2,500 for Our Sister's Closest, a free professional clothing and personal care bank for low-income women actively seeking employment or who have recently returned to work and need appropriate clothing for their job. -- Salem Arms, Spokane -- $2,000 for support of life skills development programs for residents of Salem Arms, a facility which provides permanent supportive housing for chronically mentally ill homeless individuals capable of semi-independent living. -- Sandpoint Area Senior, Inc., Sandpoint,Idaho -- $2,000 towards purchase of a commercial walk-in refrigerator to assist in providing meals to low and moderate income seniors. -- Eastern Washington Family Child Care Association, Spokane -- $1,200 for Read to Me!, literacy-based training sessions for licensed child care providers in eastern Washington. -- Spokane Art School, Spokane -- $1,200 for the Spring Break Workshop program which provides the opportunity for students to work on short-term visual art projects during Spring Break 2004. Formed in 2002, the Avista Foundation focuses its giving in the areas of: -- education -- K-12 education particularly in the fields of science, math and technology; and higher education including scholarships -- vulnerable and limited income populations -- providing assistance to those on limited incomes and support for initiatives to reduce poverty -- economic and cultural vitality -- supporting projects that help communities and citizens to grow and prosper. Information on the Avista Foundation is available at http://www.avistafoundation.org/. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040128/SFW031LOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Avista Corp. CONTACT: Debbie Simock of Avista Corp., +1-509-495-4174, or Web site: http://www.avistafoundation.org/ Web site: http://www.avistacorp.com/

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