SF Parks Alliance relaunches Heart Your Parks campaign after two-year hiatus

SF Parks Alliance relaunches Heart Your Parks campaign after two-year hiatusPhoto courtesy of SF Parks Alliance
Matt Charnock
Published on April 27, 2022

Announced on Earth Day last week, SF Parks Alliance — San Francisco’s only citywide nonprofit dedicated to the municipality’s parks — relaunched its Heart Your Parks campaign that first debuted in 2020 to celebrate and show appreciation for SF’s 220 parks and open spaces.

San Francisco has among the densest number of City parks of any large metropolis in the country. On average, every San Franciscan is no more than a seven-minute walk away from a local park, playground, or open space. And until May 21st, the SF Parks Alliance will be spreading its love and gratitude for all things parks around the city in thirty ways, each different from the one it follows. 

In case you missed it: City Hall lit up a verdant green on Earth Day, which was part of the campaign’s first event.

 

“Starting [April 22nd], we’ll be lighting up monuments in green across the city, creating 30 hearts in 30 parks over the next 30 days — and raising $50K in support of these special spaces,” read a tweet from the SF nonprofit. Like last year, SFO is also expected to glow green at some point over the next four weeks.

In the fall of 2020, the SF Parks Alliance launched its Heart Your Parks fundraising campaign to raise needed donations and help people acquaint themselves with SF’s many green spaces. Among the pro-park goodies that year was replacing the social-distancing circles at City parks, like Mission Dolores Park, with hearts — adding a bit of character to the now-absent, chalk-drawn hoops. 

For 2022, the same message of fondness and thankfulness continues. Though instead of chalked shapes, the nonprofit will create larger-than-life hearts using organic materials. This past Sunday, passersby at Alamo Square Park were treated to the project’s first large-scale heart creation by artists from Foraged Art. With donations now topping just over $6,300, SF Parks Alliance is on track to meet its $50,000 fundraising goal if the momentum stays. Those who donate $50 or more will receive a limited edition “Heart Your Parks” sticker, designed by local artist Orlie K.

While a full list of activities the nonprofit plans to include for the campaign appears absent, those interested in keeping tabs on Heart Your Parks happenings can follow the nonprofit on Twitter and Instagram [at]sfparksalliance; those participating in the campaign’s events are encouraged to share pictures and posts on social media using the hashtag “HeartYourParks.” 

For more information on the campaign, as well as how to donate to SF Parks Alliance’s ongoing work, visit sfparksalliance.org/campaign/heart-your-parks.