MUSEUM ACCESS GRANTED TO ALL

On May 29, six museums announced their joint participation in the project ‘Museums for All,’ a program that provides increased accessibility to cultural institutions for low-income families by offering free or deeply discounted admission tickets.

The six participating museums, mainly located in Uptown and Downtown, include: San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat); Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego – Downtown; Museum of Making Music; The New Children’s Museum; San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum; and San Diego History Center.

“We are proud to participate in ‘Museums for All’ for many reasons, chief among them being increased museum access,” said Judy Gradwohl, president and CEO at The Nat, in a press release. “This program will help serve those who are interested in visiting but lack the financial means to do so. Our hope is that ‘Museums for All’ will help encourage more people to enjoy the rich museum experiences we offer in San Diego.”

Participating museums must: offer individual admission fees ranging from free to $3 for individuals and families presenting a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card and a valid form of photo ID. An EBT card may be used to purchase museum admission under the “Museums for All” program and up to four tickets may be purchased per card.

For additional information about ‘Museums for All,’
visit ACM’s website at bit.ly/2vH6sjg.

Visit Walkabout Australia

On May 25, Walkabout Australia opened at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

The walkabout features an immersive 3.6-acre experience featuring kangaroos, wallabies, cassowaries, wombats and other Australian animals over grassland, rainforest, wetland and desert habitats.

“Australia is an extraordinary place, and we are thrilled to provide a snapshot of some of the wonders from Down Under at the all-new Walkabout Australia experience at the Safari Park,” Lisa Peterson, director of San Diego Zoo Safari Park, said in a press release. “Not only does Walkabout Australia allow us to connect people to Australia’s fascinating wildlife, but it adds another dimension to San Diego Zoo Global’s efforts to save endangered species, such as the cassowary and Matschie’s tree kangaroo.”

For more information about the walkabout, visit sdzsafaripark.org/walkabout.

Locals win 2018 Ruby Awards

Several Uptowners were honored at the San Diego Housing Federation’s annual Ruby Awards, the county’s largest affordable housing industry recognition event.

Held on Thursday, May 3, from 5:30–9 p.m. at the Prado in Balboa Park, recognized leaders who demonstrated excellence in the affordable housing community.

Among the honorees was Kensington resident Rachel Hurst. Hurst received the John Craven Memorial Award from her experience as the city of Coronado’s director of Redevelopment and Housing Services where she developed improvements for the city and Coronado Unified School District’s facilities, such as the Village Theatre. Hurst was also recognized for her 11 years of service overseeing the development of the Coronado Senior Housing on Orange Avenue as well as her time spent as the housing and redevelopment director for the city of La Mesa and as a planner for Simi Valley, San Diego and Beverly Hills.

North Park Seniors, located on 4200 Texas St., was also honored. The apartment project consisting of 194 units was awarded the SDG&E Environmental Award and Innovations Award for sustainable development. In addition, North Park Seniors was recognized for partnering with the LGBT Center of San Diego to provide support to LGBT seniors.

Finally, Talmadge Gateway, located at 4422 Euclid Ave., was awarded the CSH Supportive Housing Award for its work done with the PACE program as well as housing 59 chronically homeless senior citizens. For previous coverage of Talmadge Gateway, visit
bit.ly/2wFtM6F.

For more information about the 2018 Ruby Awards or to view the whole list of honorees, visit bit.ly/2KnSyKI.