Causes: Botanical Gardens & Arboreta, Environment

Mission:
To inspire and educate visitors with the beauty and importance of plants; to advance sustainability and worldwide biodiversity through action and research; and to celebrate its historic glasshouse.

Geographic areas served: Western Pennsylvania

Programs: The Conservatory designed and executed the new FamilyPass program beginning in 2008, designed to help the region’s underserved schoolchildren and their families embrace Phipps’ enriching and unforgettable experience by placing the garden back at the center of family life. In this two-part initiative, Phipps promotes the offer of field trip admission and transportation subsidy to schools in low-income communities through classroom outreach initiatives. After their field trips, each attending child receives a FamilyPass certificate redeemable for a complimentary group admission for up to two adults and two children. This innovative new element doubles the value of the initiative by allowing children an opportunity to share their new expertise with those closest to them, treating their parents and siblings to the wonders of the garden through a second visit to Phipps.