La Mesa Verde Garden Education

The Authority helped fund Bay Area Older Adults’ Environmental Education Park Crawl program. The project consisted of eight, 4-hour walks in different parks and one wildlife lecture. Each two- to four-mile walk had an environmental theme that educated the participating adults age 60+ about our valley’s parks, natural resources, and urban green spaces. It also included lunch, coordination of transportation, parking fees, and three trained guides. Participants benefitted in multiple ways: safely walking outdoors in a group is critical in reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer and depression, and learning about nature promotes cognitive health and reduces the risk of dementia.

RIDESV is a three year monthly bike ride series working with partner organizations to enhance access to open space. The partner organizations include those focused on environmental issues as well as those working directly with low income populations. The program aims to increase bicycling as a sustainable form of transportation, connect people to open space, and share knowledge among partner organizations to educate participants.

The Authority grant funded the San Jose State University Research Foundation's project, a signature CommUniverCity program, that aims to create a self-sustaining food system for low-income communities in Central San Jose where each child has opportunities to garden at a school garden or urban farm in their neighborhood. The program increases awareness of the importance of eating healthy, fresh foods, and promotes environmental stewardship among low-income children and their families.