The Regional Parks Foundation supports the East Bay Regional Park District through fundraising to provide universal access, environmental stewardship, educational and recreational programs and the acquisition of parklands.

At the Regional Parks Foundation we believe connections with nature are critical for leading a healthy, balanced life. Every day, we provide resources to ensure underserved populations have equal access to nature through the East Bay Regional Park District’s parks, trails, programs and services. As a result of what we do, lives are changed, and we inspire the next generation of environmental stewards to value and protect open space and the environment.

Dear Friends,

We are pleased to share this 2016 Annual Report with you, our members and donors, whose generous contributions have boldly blazed a path for the Regional Parks Foundation to “Gain Traction and Build Momentum”!

It is our hope that this report highlights the impact of your generous support whether through memberships, grants and donations, or participation in the new 1-in-a-Million Sustainer’s Circle. We know it is only through the kindness of this community that we could beat our goal and raise $2.1 million to provide “Universal Access” to the most vulnerable. We do this through transportation assistance, camp scholarships “Camperships”, and social education for seniors; Environmental Stewardship through habitat restoration and wildlife protection; and Health, Wellness and Safety through Trails Challenge, Multi-Cultural Wellness Walks, SHINE, and more.

In addition, the Foundation received a generous land donation of 50 acres valued at $3.75 million from Antioch Holdings, LLC. This land was transferred to the East Bay Regional Park District where it preserves the last remaining undeveloped portion of ridgeline between Black Diamond Mines and Contra Loma Regional Parks.

We believe the Foundation is on a path to making an even bigger difference for our East Bay Regional Parks by increasing our support to expand services for the underserved, protect cultural and natural resources, and improve infrastructure for enhanced visitor experiences. We invite you to celebrate your accomplishments and we hope you will continue to partner with us on this journey.

Sincerely,

William Yarborough
Board President

Your donations for Youth Development, also known as “Campership,” programs support under-resourced children and youth. You give children the opportunity to attend camp, experience parks, learn through award-winning environmental education programs and gain skills through employment.

Key initiatives include: Park’n It Day Camp, Camp Arroyo, Swimming Lessons and Scholarships for Junior Lifeguards, Ash Street Day Camp, Teen Eco Action Week and Youth Job Fairs.

The Foundation invites our community to engage with us by volunteering, donating, becoming a member or attending a variety of educational and outreach events.

Membership

A great way to show support for the East Bay Regional Parks and explore all the parks have to offer! The newly revamped program offers options for individuals, families and special access pricing for veterans, seniors, students and persons with disabilities.

Donations

Gifts to the Regional Parks Foundation provide resources to protect open space, preserve wildlife habitats, and educational and recreational opportunity’s where you inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.

Legacy

Our planned giving program supports donors wishing to leave a legacy through a gift that will help protect their favorite park or continue a program that matters most to them.

Corporate Engagement Program:

Every year the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) has more than 16,000 volunteers contribute over 155,000 hours of service to the parks. The RPF Corporate Engagement Program provides corporations with volunteer opportunities throughout the year including: shoreline clean-ups, trail maintenance and trail building, and park stewardship projects. Corporations also participate by providing event sponsorships, matching gifts, and grants to support projects.

Individuals make an enormous impact by leaving a varity of legacy gifts from cash, stocks, real estate, IRA’s, charitable trusts and more. These support the important work to preserve open space, maintain trails, and keep the parks beautiful and accessible.

Trails Challenge

Celebrating the 23rd year of Trails Challenge with nearly 10,000 participants.

Multi-Cultural Walks

Thanks to a generous grant from Kaiser Permanente in 2016, the Park District hosted five multicultural wellness walks attracting an average of 125 participants per walk. These walks represented both young and old members of the diverse communities that make up the Alameda and Contra Costa counties, particularly Latino, Korean, Chinese, African American, Filipino and South Asian.

In keeping with its mission to provide safe access to the East Bay Regional Parks, the Foundation funds a variety of programs and equipment to protect and educate park guests. From water safety equipment to bike bells and helmets our goal is to increase safety for human and animal visitors.

Mobile Incident Command Center

Rapid response to fires, natural disasters, accidents and public safety incidents is very important to the safety of the Park District’s 25 million visitors each year. To ensure the Park District is ready to respond to emergencies spanning thousands of miles, and to ensure its capacity to effectively communicate with partnering agencies, the Tesoro Foundation provided a $75,000 grant for the purchase of a new Mobile Incident Command Center vehicle. The unit will be built and delivered in 2017 and it will provide the resources needed to flexibly and nimbly coordinate air, ground and aquatic resources in the future.

Bike Bells and Helmets

To promote harmonious interactions between walkers, runners, bicyclists and equestrian riders on EBRPD trails, the Park District hosts numerous trailside informational events to share tips about safety and proper passing etiquettes. As part of the ring out and call out program, the Park District hands out bike bells and helmets to bicyclists to increase safety and reduce conflicts between cyclists and other trail users. 930 bells and 690 bicycle tail lights were handed out in 2016.