Parks for All
As part of the BHC campaign, community resident leadership leverages hundreds of millions for park investments in areas of Fresno where access was limited or absent.
BHC sites offer ground-breaking case examples of how community organizing can not only promote environmental justice and yield improvements in water access and quality, it can also increase equitable development of parks and recreation and active transportation infrastructure.
Some of the wins championed by BHC participants during the initiative:
- Santa Ana (2012): $380k Pacific Electric Exercise Park opened in Santa Ana’s Madison Park neighborhood, funded by federal trail enhancement funds.
- City Heights (2016): A $1M canyon restoration project in Manzanita Canyon promoted healthy behaviors and access to outdoor open green space for young people of color and their families in City Heights.
- Eastern Coachella Valley (2018): Community of North Shore held its grand opening of a five-acre park, the culmination of a six-year community-led design process in partnership with BHC partners and Desert Recreation District.
- Statewide (2018): Voters passed prop 68 (Parks and Water Bond Act of 2018) by 57.8%, which provided $4.1B in bonds for state and local parks, environmental protection and restoration projects, water infrastructure projects, and flood protection projects.
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Hundreds of Millions
Leveraged for Parks Investments in CA
“The central path to the Beloved Community is through community voice and community power.”
DR. ROBERT K. ROSS President & CEO, The California Endowment
Browse Other Changes Planted by Dr. Ross
Building Healthy Communities $1B invested over 10 years
Health4All 38.6 million lives impacted
Youth Awards 37 total awards given
Schools Not Prisons & BMOC Millions reached since 2016
Farmworker Health $50M initiative
TCE Grant Making 2023 $381M awarded
Youth on the Board 1st of large foundations in US to have youth on the board
Childhood Obesity & Freshworks $272M to expand access to fresh and healthy foods in low-income communities
CHIS 20,000 households interviewed annually to find health gaps in CA
Kids Health Coverage Campaign $4M to help enroll children in health programs
Cultural Competency/Health Workforce/PRIME $78.2M to CA organizations working to boost the size and diversity of the state's healthcare workforce
TCE Headquarters 125,000+ use our facilities every year
Wishing Wall
Best wishes, Dr. Ross! I hope your days are filled with all the things that make you happy.
Love you, Bob! Keep killing the game!
Bob,
Fortunate to have such a powerful voice & thought leader at TCE.
- Sherry
With deepest gratitude for all of your service, your love, & leadership. May you have abundant joy and connection and all good things.
- Sharon
Dr. Ross,
Thank you for all your hard work. Wishing you tons of reset and peace, Dr. Ross.
- Nancy Nunez
Bob:
Thanks for 24 years of service to TCE and all Californians! Enjoy your new adventures!
Dr. Ross,
I hope this next chapter fills you up as you get to witness the work and people you have nurtured for all these years.
Dr. Ross -
Wishing you abundance in this next chapter! Thank you for your infinite sacrifices for justice.
- Sonya Diaz
Congratulations Dr. Ross (aka 007) on 24 years of making a change in CA’s future.
Best,
- Dolores Estrada
Thank you for all of the years of big ideas and humble connection.
Best wishes for the next act!
- Joel
Wishing you health and happiness in your well deserved retirement.
Dr. Ross,
I hope you have some amazing adventures planned. Enjoy!
- Andrea Williams (Southside Coalition)
Bob,
We wish you good health, adventure, and lots of love in your life’s journey.
- Julie & Pete Brown
You are a big inspiration for this world! Thank you!
Bobbie -
May God continue to order your steps. He;s not finished with you yet.
Enjoy & have fun. God bless you!
- Elizabeth Tabita
Dearest Dr. Ross,
May you be happy in the next phase of your life.
- Susan
Best wishes!
- Melinda Smith and the Helpguide team
Dr. Ross,
You instilled so much confidence in me by choosing me to be on the board. You truly have no idea about the trajectory my life will go on. Thank you immensely and I wish you all the best.
Unveiling Our
2025 Annual
Report
The California Endowment is proud to present our 2025 annual report. Read about the work we are supporting and our partners who are changing California to a state of belonging and inclusion.
View Report