Measure U provides money to improve Oakland’s public infrastructure, including affordable housing for working families and the homeless, street repaving and safety upgrades for bikers and pedestrians and repairs for police, fire and library facilities.

Of interest for park supporters, Measure U provides $45 million for Oakland’s parks and open spaces, as well as $80 million for water, energy, environmental and seismic improvements to public facilities consistent with the Equitable Climate Action Plan.

The Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation endorses Measure U to advance the conservation, rehabilitation and improvement of our outdoor spaces like mini parks, tot lots, sports fields, athletic courts, swimming pools and associated structures like restrooms and storage.

Thank you for your continued stewardship and support.

Warmly,

Sarah Dunn
Board President

The City of Oakland and the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation want your input on DeFremery Park, as we plan to invest $200,000 in grant funding from The Clorox Company for park improvements. Your participation can help make it happen!

We will work with the community this fall to create a vision for the park. Take advantage of the following opportunities to tell us about how you use the park and your ideas for improvements:

In Person Community Meeting: Thursday, September 22 at 7:00PM, DeFremery Park Recreation Center Social Hall.

Virtual Community Meeting: Tuesday, September 27 at 7:00PM, on Zoom.

Park Events: We will be tabling at DeFremery Park to gather community feedback on Wednesday, September 28 at 12:00PM, and on Saturday, October 1 at 12:00PM.

Online Survey: If you are unable to join us at a scheduled event, take our online survey to provide more information on park improvement options.

If you have any questions, please email or call Wes Radez with the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation at wes@oaklandparks.org, (510) 306-4689.

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Súmese a nosotros para crear una visión comunitaria sobre las mejoras en el Parque DeFremery

La Ciudad de Oakland y la Fundación de Parques y Recreación de Oakland quieren su opinión sobre el Parque DeFremery, ya que planeamos invertir 200.000 dólares en fondos de subvención de The Clorox Company para realizar mejoras en el parque. ¡Su participación puede ayudar a que se haga realidad!

Este otoño trabajaremos con la comunidad para crear una visión del parque. Aproveche las siguientes oportunidades para contarnos cómo utiliza el parque y sus ideas sobre las mejoras:

Reunión de la comunidad en persona: jueves, 22 de septiembre a las 7:00PM, Salón Social del Centro de Recreación del Parque DeFremery.

Reunión de la comunidad virtual: martes, 27 de septiembre a las 7:00PM, a través de Zoom.

Eventos en el parque: Estaremos en el Parque DeFremery para recoger las opiniones de la comunidad el miércoles 28 de septiembre a las 12:00PM, y el sábado 1 de octubre a las 12:00PM.

Encuesta en línea: Si no puede acompañarnos en uno de los eventos programados, responda a nuestra encuesta en línea para proporcionar más información sobre las opciones de mejora del parque.

Si tiene alguna pregunta, envíe un correo electrónico o llame a Wes Radez de la Fundación de Parques y Recreación de Oakland a wes@oaklandparks.org, (510) 306-4689.

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請與我們共同創造在 DeFremery 公園一個社區改進願景

當我們計劃投資 Clorox 公司的補助基金 二十万美元, 用於改善公園, 屋崙市政府共屋崙公園及康樂基金會請你提供 DeFremery 公園計劃的意見. 你參與和支持將助此發展!

這個秋天, 我們將與社區同體合作創造一個公園改進願景. 請利用以下機會, 讓我們知道你如何使用公園, 和你的改進想法:

面對面的社區會議: 星期四, 九月二十二日 晚上七時, DeFremery 公園, 康樂中心社交廳.

網上社區會議: 星期二, 九月二十七日 晚上七時在 Zoom.

公園事項: 星期三, 九月二十八日 中午, 及星期六, 十月一日 中午. 我們將在 DeFremery 公園收集社區同體意見.

網上調問: 如果你無法參加預定的議程, 請用我們在網上的調問頁以提供公園改善方向的建議選擇.

如有任何疑問, 請發電郵或電話給 Wes Radez 於 屋崙公園及康樂基金會 wes@oaklandparks.org (510) 306-4689.

The Oakland Estuary is home to marine animals, residents and a thriving watersport community. This stretch of water is hit hard by urban trash pollution and illegal dumping. Removing garbage from the shores of the Oakland Estuary protects our water, wildlife and community!

Meet us at the Jack London Aquatic Center (115 Embarcadero) at 9:30AM on Saturday, September 17th. You can clean up the land on foot or work the beaches and shoreline via kayak, boat and stand-up paddle board. Please wear sturdy shoes; all other supplies will be provided.

This event is hosted by I Heart Oakland-Alameda Estuary, Mary Spicer and the City of Oakland with support from California Canoe and Kayak, East Bay Rowing Club and the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation.

Hope to see you there! Learn more and register here »

Warmly,

Team OPRF

Parks Family Reunion, like all of our work together, is a product of partnership. Thank you to our corporate sponsors, our institutional funders, our Parks Leadership Circle and our individual donors for the food and drinks. Thank you to our community volunteers for sharing your work across the picnic tables. Thank you to our City of Oakland partners for your site coordination. And, thank you to our board and staff for creating a welcoming atmosphere (and for working hard at the grill!).

We all came out to Parks Family Reunion to share our love for Oakland’s parks and people. That’s the fuel that keeps us going.

Thank you for your continued stewardship and support.

Warmly,

Terra Cole Brown

Executive Director

We hope you will join us at our newly-rescheduled Parks Family Reunion at Dimond Park on Saturday, August 27, from 12:00PM to 2:00PM.

As we move into the second half of 2022, we have had many wins to celebrate in recent months. Among them, a significant investment by Clorox at DeFremery Park, funding for the Department of Violence Prevention’s Town Nights program, the announcement of Resilience Hub Mini-Grants and the acceleration of our Better Neighborhoods, Same Neighbors community greening program in East Oakland.

Organizationally, this is a period of forward momentum. Our team is focused on upgrading our fiscal sponsorship program, strategic planning and board recruitment. We are proud to have recently received new funding commitments from the Hellman Foundation and Sunlight Giving to further accelerate our growth.

As we consistently emphasize among our staff and board, partnership drives our community impact, the return on investment for the funds we manage and the growth of our organization. It’s you, the members of our parks community, that makes our work possible.

Thank you for your continued stewardship and support.

Warmly,

Terra Cole Brown
Executive Director

You’re Invited!
Parks Family Reunion
Dimond Park
Redwood Grove BBQ Area
August 27th
12:00PM – 2:00PM
Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation

Parks Family Reunion | Buy Tickets Now »

We are a community of volunteers, city staff, donors, civic leaders, corporate sponsors, advocates and park lovers. Two years of COVID have kept many of us apart.

Join us for a celebratory Parks Family Reunion. Come out to renew our connections and refresh our shared commitment to Oakland’s parks and people.

Let’s fire up the grill, raise a glass and share a laugh. We’ll have delicious food, ice cold drinks, s’mores to roast, yard games to play and a few other surprises in store. Can’t wait to see you!

Ticket Information:

• $10 Kids (Ages 2-12)
• $25 Adults
• $50 Premium Ticket With Gift Bag

Gift Bag includes Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation tote bag, nature journal, Oakland parks poster collection and Oakland parks map.

Parks Family Reunion | Buy Tickets Now »

Individual mini-grants ranging from $1,000-$10,000 will be used to strengthen community resilience by acquiring disaster preparedness supplies, building infrastructure related to water conservation and agriculture, enabling activities related to composting, carbon sequestration and energy efficiency, and supporting local engagement and outreach.

Recipient organizations include Black Cultural Zone, Neighborship, Mycelium Youth, Grandma’s House, Common Vision, Dover Street Edible Park, Repaired Nations and Central East Oakland Resilience Zone. All projects are affiliated with a City of Oakland facility such as a park, library, community garden or recreation center.

Congratulations to all of the mini-grant recipients!

Just in time for Earth Day weekend, we are proud to announce a new partnership with The Clorox Company to benefit West Oakland parks.

The partnership provides for $200,000 of investment over two years at historic DeFremery Park in West Oakland, along with volunteer events and online education about environmental justice. Specific projects will be identified through engagement with the local community and consultation with the City of Oakland.

With this exciting news, I invite you to read the full announcement below and then join Clorox with your own donation to support DeFremery Park.

Warmly,

Terra Cole Brown
Executive Director

The Clorox Company Announces Multi-Year Investment in Environmental Justice through Partnerships with City Parks

The Healthy Parks Project kicks off on Earth Day with an initial $200,000 commitment to Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation; more cities to follow

OAKLAND, Calif., April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) today announced the launch of a new initiative to advance environmental justice through investment in community parks to help provide better access to green spaces among underserved communities. The Healthy Parks Project aligns the company’s purpose to champion people to be well and thrive every single day with its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. In the project’s first year, Clorox will support parks organizations, with grants totaling more than $300,000, where it has large employee bases – starting in Oakland, California – benefiting the health of local communities.

“The critical issue of environmental justice bridges our ESG commitments to healthy lives, a clean world and thriving communities,” said Chief People & Corporate Affairs Officer Kirsten Marriner. “Communities thrive when people have access to green spaces, yet many neighborhoods have historically not had access to this critical resource. We want all people to have equal access to beautiful and healthy parks.”

To launch the Healthy Parks Project, Clorox is donating $200,000 to the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation in its hometown to support the improvement of parks in West Oakland, a neighborhood disproportionately impacted by poor health outcomes, according to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project. The donation will support historic DeFremery Park in particular, with specific projects identified through engagement with the local community and consultation with the City of Oakland. Clorox will donate another $100,000 this year to additional locations near its facilities and teammates.

To amplify the impact of the partnership, Clorox teammates will be able to personally support the initiative through volunteer events and online education about environmental justice. And Clorox teammates in the U.S. and Canada will also receive $25 each to donate to an environmental justice nonprofit of their choice through the company’s employee giving program.

This environmental justice initiative is an illustration of the company’s focus on the interconnectedness of environmental and social sustainability and in creating multi-stakeholder value.

The Positive Impact of Parks

Nearly 100 million people in the US, including 28 million children, don’t have park access within a 10-minute walk of home, and in Oakland alone, residents in low-income neighborhoods have access to 78% less park space compared to high-income neighborhoods(1). Research suggests that urban built environments, including parks and other green spaces, might shape opportunities for physical activity, affecting development of obesity and other health outcomes, and that parks were more likely to encourage physical activity if they were perceived as aesthetically pleasing(2). Through the Healthy Parks Project, Clorox is committed to improving park spaces so that people can feel safe and thrive in the local parks accessible to them.

“We applaud Clorox’s commitment to advancing environmental justice through the Healthy Parks Project and welcome this meaningful investment in West Oakland’s parks and people,” said Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation Executive Director Terra Cole Brown. “This new partnership shows how corporate, community and government stakeholders can work together toward improving park access and utilization citywide.”

Supporting Thriving Communities

Clorox and its portfolio of brands have a long-standing legacy of giving back through nonprofit partnerships and community involvement, including supporting Oakland, where it is headquartered and all of the communities where it has teammates. On a national and international level, the company has partnerships with the American Red Cross, Direct Relief, Americares and other organizations with an emphasis on underresourced communities. Additionally, The Healthy Parks Project is an extension of The Clorox Company Foundation’s focus on health security, racial justice and the belief that health and wellness is a basic human right.

About The Clorox Company

The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) is a leading multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products with about 9,000 employees worldwide and fiscal year 2021 sales of $7.3 billion. Clorox markets some of the most trusted and recognized consumer brand names, including its namesake bleach and cleaning products; Pine-Sol® cleaners; Liquid-Plumr® clog removers; Poett® home care products; Fresh Step® cat litter; Glad® bags and wraps; Kingsford® grilling products; Hidden Valley® dressings and sauces; Brita® water-filtration products; Burt’s Bees® natural personal care products; and RenewLife®, Rainbow Light®, Natural Vitality CALM, and NeoCell® vitamins, minerals and supplements. The company also markets industry-leading products and technologies for professional customers, including those sold under the CloroxPro and Clorox Healthcare® brand names. More than 80% of the company’s sales are generated from brands that hold the No. 1 or No. 2 market share positions in their categories.

Clorox is a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. The company has been broadly recognized for its corporate responsibility efforts, included on the Barron’s 2021 100 Most Sustainable Companies list, 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, the Human Rights Campaign’s 2021 Corporate Equality Index and the 2021 Parity.org Best Places for Women to Advance list, among others. In support of its communities, The Clorox Company brands and its foundation contributed about $20 million in combined cash grants, product donations and cause marketing in fiscal year 2021. For more information, visit TheCloroxCompany.com and follow the company on Twitter at @CloroxCo.

About the Clorox Company Foundation

Founded in 1980, The Clorox Company Foundation has a mission to foster healthy and inclusive communities so people can be well and thrive. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded cash grants totaling nearly $130 million to nonprofit organizations.

About the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation

The Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation (OPRF) is a trusted facilitator and convening partner that enables parks policy development, investment and community ownership. Led by a skilled staff and board, OPRF draws on 40 years of experience creating public-private partnerships with local government, community organizations and financial sponsors to increase equitable access to parks and recreational opportunities for Oakland residents. For more information, visit oaklandparks.org.

CLX-C

1 Trust for Public Land

2 NIH National Library of Medicine

It is a great pleasure to invite you to join us in North Oakland with the Friends of the Rockridge Temescal Greenbelt (FROG) for a fun morning of removing litter, weeding and applying sealant.

Date / Time: April 23 from 9:00AM to 12:00PM
Check In Location: Big Frog Park (5500 Claremont Avenue)
Bring: Gardening gloves and a water bottle. Families welcome.

Register by Thursday, April 21, and receive an Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation knit beanie when you check in!

Can’t make it to North Oakland? Visit our table at the Oakland A’s Green Expo at the Coliseum later in the day or join one of the great Earth Day partner events listed below!

Courtland Creek Park

The Friends of Courtland Creek will host a cleanup at the park (Congress Avenue & Courtland Avenue) from 9:00AM to 12:00PM, with food and games to follow. The Insect Sciences Museum will be onsite with engaging activities. No RSVP needed.

Oakland Estuary

Join I Heart Oakland Alameda Estuary at the Jack London Aquatic Center (115 Embarcadero) from 11:30AM to 2:30PM and help remove 2,000 pounds of trash from our waterways. Register online and contact Mary Spicer at spicer@mary-spicer.com with questions or for more information.

Arroyo Viejo Park

Trees for Oakland and We Lead Ours will hold a tree planting at Arroyo Viejo Park (7701 Krause Avenue) from 9:30AM to 1:00PM. No RSVP needed, but arrive early for training. For more information, contact Kent Wegener at kentwegener@gmail.com.

Sausal Creek

The Friends of Sausal Creek will be hosting restoration activities throughout the watershed such as invasive species removal, litter pickup and creek cleaning. More information online. Groups of more than 4 RSVP to Kate Berlin at fosceducation@gmail.com.

Overall, the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation will manage the planting of 2,000 trees in deep East Oakland through the end of 2024 with a $1.5 million grant from the California Strategic Growth Council’s Transformative Climate Communities program.

Through its projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen the local economy and improve public health, the $28.2 million Better Neighborhoods, Same Neighbors initiative builds on decades of activism in East Oakland to develop a new vision for communities historically impacted by redlining, injustice and divestment.

“Putting the first trees in the ground is an important milestone,” says Alex, who estimates he may personally plant about 200 trees during the project. “As we practice identifying locations, securing permits, coordinating volunteers and activating local nurseries, we’ll really get cranking.”

Community members and neighborhood groups within the Better Neighborhoods, Same Neighbors Project Plan Area are invited to contact Alex or project partner Planting Justice to request trees for planting on private land or to suggest locations for planting on public land. Both fruit trees and local species, such as the coast live oak, are available.

“We would love to see dense plantings along major thoroughfares, in parks and across heavily polluted areas,” says Alex. “Community engagement can really help us identify the best locations.”

Details will follow later this month for an event celebrating all of the Better Neighborhoods, Same Neighbors project partners and stakeholders on Saturday, May 7, at Cypress Mandela.

“10 tree downs,” Alex says with a smile, while thinking about the work ahead. “1,990 to go.”

RESOURCES: Better Neighborhoods, Same Neighbors project site.