San Jose Parks Foundation

THE SAN JOSE PARKS FOUNDATION IS A COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO ADVOCATING FOR SAN JOSE'S PARKS AND TRAILS AND THE PROGRAMS WITHIN THEM, BY EMPOWERING RESIDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS AND SECURING PRIVATE DONATIONS.

FROM THE BEGINNINGS OF COVID-19 AS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE, PARKS AND TRAILS BECAME INCREASINGLY MORE VALUABLE TO RESIDENTS OF SAN JOSE. IN A POLL DONE AFTER THE FIRST SUMMER, IT WAS CLEAR THAT PEOPLE WERE HAPPY TO HAVE SAFE PLACES TO BRING THEIR FAMILIES FOR OUTDOOR PICNICS, PLAY AND EXERCISE. TRAILS WERE FILLED WITH CYCLISTS, HIKERS AND RUNNERS. THE ONLY NEGATIVE WAS THE PRESENCE OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS. IT WAS A DISCONCERTING PROBLEM MADE WORSE BY THE PANDEMIC. FORTUNATELY, IT WAS RESTRICTED TO A FEW PLACES AND NOT WIDESPREAD.IN 2021 THE SECOND YEAR OF COVID-19 CONTINUED TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON SAN JOSE PARKS FOUNDATION, AS GATHERINGS OF PEOPLE, EVEN OUTSIDE, WERE RESTRICTED. THERE WERE OCCASIONAL GROUPS OF STUDENT VOLUNTEERS, BUT CORPORATE VOLUNTEER GROUPS WERE VIRTUALLY NON-EXISTENT. THIS NOT ONLY IMPACTED THE AMOUNT OF VOLUNTEER WORK OVERALL, BUT IT CUT OFF MOST OF THE FUNDING THAT THESE GROUPS PROVIDED DURING THE SUMMER.MOST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS THAT SAN JOSE PARKS FOUNDATION WORKED WITH WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE THEIR CITIZEN STEWARDSHIP EFFORTS, BUT AT A LOWER LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT AND ENERGY THAN USUAL. SEVERAL OF THE GROUPS WERE ABLE TO RAISE FUNDS DURING THE YEAR.OUR PARTNER PROGRAMS WITH THE CITY OF SAN JOSE INCREASED IN ACTIVITY, MOSTLY BECAUSE THEY COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE COMMUNITY VENTURING OUTDOORS. VIVA CALLESJ, THE OPEN STREETS PROGRAM, HAD BEEN DORMANT FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS WHEN IT RE-EMERGED TO A HUGE TURNOUT IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021. FAMILIES FILLED THE STREETS ON EVERY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION EXCEPT MOTORIZED VEHICLES.THE SECOND HALF OF 2021 SAW SILICON VALLEY AND SAN JOSE RESIDENTS EMERGING FROM COVID RESTRICTIONS AND ENGAGING IN MORE TRADITIONAL USE OF THE PARKS AND TRAILS. THE CORPORATE SECTOR STEPPED UP AND INCREASED ITS FUNDING, THOUGH THE CORPORATE VOLUNTEER GROUPS DID NOT RESUME. THIS INCREASED FUNDING, ALONG WITH AN END-OF-THE-YEAR FUNDRAISING PUSH, HELPED THE BUDGET BREAK EVEN FOR THE YEAR, A SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT.