Play is important. Urban families, particularly those with children, deserve access to safe, well-maintained play spaces where physical activity and community-building happen face-to-face. Building strong communities and neighborhood support systems help keep families in the City, which is why we focus on increasing and improving opportunities for outdoor recreation and social gathering.
The Case For Parks
Parks and open green spaces are not just nice to look at, they are actually good for our collective health. Studies have shown that proximity and access to parks had a direct correlation to how people use them. That is, if parks are in neighborhoods and are accessible to the residents (clean, well-maintained, within walking or biking distance), they are used. And when parks are used, the general health and well-being of the neighborhood improves as we spend less time sitting and more time moving.
San Francisco has a wealth of urban green spaces, but declining public funding means that many of our parks are falling into disrepair. That’s why the Gujral Community Fund supports the work of organizations such as the San Francisco Parks Alliance. Their mission is to “inspire and promote civic engagement and philanthropy to protect, sustain and enrich San Francisco parks, recreation and green open spaces.”
