FELIX NECK WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Education & Camp Barn Award: $350,000

Mission: To protect wildlife, conserve and restore resilient land, advocate for impactful environmental policies, offer nationally recognized education programsfor adultsand children, and provide endless opportunities to experience the outdoorsat our wildlife sanctuaries Explore, find inspiration, and take action at massaudubon org

MassAudubon?sFelix Neck WildlifeSanctuary continuestoserveIslandfamilies andchildrenthroughour school,camp,preschool,andcommunity programs Here andacrosstheCommonwealth,MassAudubon?sActionAgendahasprovidedhope, energy,and urgency toour work,prioritizinginclusiveandequitableaccessto nature,stewardingresilient landscapes,and climateaction At Felix Neck,these imperativesarereflectedinour anti-biaspreschool curriculum,our YouthClimate LeadershipProgram(YCLP),and asour roleasaCoastal Resiliency Center and guidesall of our community-basedefforts

Thesupport of MVYouthallowedustofast-track thedevelopment and implementationof anaturepreschool that would serveacommunity need which hasgrowneven moreacutepost pandemic. FernandFeather Preschool isinits fourthyear andisoff toanamazingstart,serving15 studentsper day! A new director,AnneOuwerkerk,hasbrought extensiveexpertiseinnatureeducation, early education,and special education Last Junewesent off our largest graduating classtodate,includingonestudent whowaswithussincetheschool?sinception. Duringthesummer of 2022,campreturnedtoitspre-Covidcapacity and we welcomed somany campersthat wehadmissedduringthepandemicyears Over $32,000 wasprovided toIslandfamiliesfor tuitionsupport for our school andcamp programs

Our focusthisyear will beto hireanother full-timeleadpreschool teacher inorder tofurther contributetosupportingtheneedsof year-roundfamilies