NW Natural Donates $43,000 for Arts and Culture

NW Natural shareholders have granted nearly $43,000 to extend artistic and cultural experiences in the Portland area.

"Portland has a vibrant arts and culture scene with unique gardens, museums, history, music and art," said Von Summers, community affairs manager for NW Natural.

"Through our Corporate Philanthropy Fund, we're pleased to offer financial support to identify, develop and share the work of local artisans and historians."

This year, grant recipients include the following organizations:

$5,000 - Japanese Garden Society: The Society strives to advance the education of the public in the conservation, cultivation and propagation of Japanese gardens through study, meetings, publications, lectures, shows, displays and visits to gardens.

$7,500 - Lan Su Chinese Garden: The Garden is one of Portland's greatest treasures and most interesting sites to see while visiting Portland. A result of a collaboration between the cities of Portland and Suzhou, the sister city in China's Jiangsu province that's famous for its beautiful Ming Dynasty gardens, Lan Su was built by Chinese artisans from Suzhou and is one the most authentic Chinese gardens outside of China.

$10,000 - Literary Arts: Literary Arts engages readers, supports writers and inspires the next generation with great literature. Its programs include Portland Arts & Lectures, one of the country's largest lecture series, and Writers in the Schools, which hires professional writers to teach creative writing workshops in Portland high schools.

$10,000 - The Oregon Historical Society: The Society preserves our state's history and makes it accessible to everyone in ways that advance knowledge and inspire curiosity about all the people, places, and events that have shaped Oregon.

$5,000 - Oregon Symphony Association: The Symphony ranks as one of America's major orchestras and as one of the largest arts organizations in the Northwest. The Oregon Symphony is proud to provide varied music of the highest artistic standards to diverse audiences, with a commitment to educating children as the musicians and audiences of tomorrow.

$5,000 - Portland Art Museum: The museum engages diverse communities through art and film of enduring quality, and strives to collect, preserve, and educate for the enrichment of present and future generations. Each year, NW Natural shareholders donate more than $1 million to children and families in need, as well as arts and culture, and the environment.

NW Natural is headquartered in Portland and provides natural gas service to about 718,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Oregon and Southwest Washington. It is the largest independent natural gas utility in the Pacific Northwest.