A rendering of the Kids Discovery Station “Our City” Outdoor Exhibit in Merced. Image contributed

The Central Valley Opportunity Fund (CVOF) recently approved a $150,000 matching grant aimed at supporting the Kids Discovery Station “Our City” Outdoor Exhibit in Merced, providing children with an educational and interactive play space aimed at continuing youth development in Merced.

Founded in 2017, CVOF is a private, donor-advised fund operated by Fresno-based Central Valley Community Foundation (CVCF) to improve the lives of residents in Merced.

The exhibit will aim to educate children about city functions and jobs and will feature an interactive outdoor play space that will provide opportunities to explore how cities work.

“We envision this outdoor play space as a miniature city run by children,” said Kids Discovery Station Executive Director Mayya Tokman. “Whether taking on the role of a firefighter or a police officer, pretending to run an election from city hall or riding a tricycle while obeying posted traffic signs, kids will have an opportunity to play and to learn about what makes a city work.”

The project is expected to be completed over the next 12 to 18 months.

The exhibit will also double field trip capacity to more than 100 children as well as address transportation challenges faced by local schools.

The Kids Discovery Station was brought to life thanks to partnerships with First 5 Merced County, City of Merced and Dignity Health.

“Kids Discovery Station is very grateful to the Central Valley Opportunity Fund for their generous matching grant to support the building of our outdoor exhibit space,” Tokman added. “We are excited to partner with CVOF and all the donors who will support the match to create ‘Our City’ for Our Kids exhibit.”

Fundraising donations are still available. Interested donors can visit the Kids Discovery Station website where donors will see every dollar of their donations matched.