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2018 Impact ReportParks are the Heart of Community

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Friend,

Thirty years ago, a group of passionate individuals in Atlanta came together around three shared beliefs: that great parks improve well-being, have the power to strengthen communities, and make cities and the environment more resilient. Committed to the greener good, these individuals nurtured the culture of stewardship for community

and greenspace upon which Park Pride was built.

Park Pride began as a small nonprofit focused mostly on park beautification projects. The scope of our work has grown over the years in response to the growing need for access to

quality parks within walking distance of where people live.

With your support in 2018, Park Pride enhanced parks in every corner of the city. Together, we helped over 160 Friends of the Park groups improve parks while building community along the way. With our dedicated team of landscape architects, neighbors were invited to dream big and imagine what’s possible in their greenspace. We awarded nearly $1 million in matching grants for park improvements and hosted another wildly successful Parks and Greenspace Conference, an inspirational event that has grown to be the largest annual parks conference in the Southeast.

None of these accomplishments were achieved on our own. Your support sustains Park Pride, and our successes are yours as well.

Since 1989, our understanding of the important role that parks play in communities has evolved. As one park enthusiast recently stated, “As the heart is the lifeblood of human existence, public parks play the same role in society.” In other words, parks are the heart of community.

While parks are the heart of community, friends like you are the heart of Park Pride.

Together, we have much to celebrate. As we move forward into the next chapter of building a legacy of great parks and strong communities within Atlanta, we invite you to reconfirm your commitment to the greener good and join us at the Green Tie Gala this fall, a celebration that will commemorate three decades of accomplishments and those still to come.

Thank you for being a part of our story. Now, we hope you enjoy this look back at some of our favorite moments from 2018 that illustrate the difference you made possible in our city.

Michael HalickiPark Pride’s Executive Director

letter from the executive director

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mission | To engage communities to activate the power of parks.

2018 impact area

vision | Park Pride envisions Atlanta strengthened by and united through great parks, trails, and greenspaces that meet the needs and reflect the unique character of all communities.

philosophy | Park Pride believes in the power of parks. Great parks have the power to increase our quality of life and strengthen the fabric of our cities. They are welcoming places for members of the community to gather, play, relax, and connect with nature, encouraging mental and physical health. Great parks promote community engagement, safety, and revitalization. They generate economic benefits and enhance the ecological health of our neighborhoods. Great parks make our residents happy, our communities strong, and our city resilient.

Friends of the Park ProgramVolunteer ProgramFiscal Partner ProgramCommunity Garden ProgramPark Visioning ProgramGrant Programs

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In 2018, our programs and resources reached a record 163 Friends of the Park groups comprised of people,

like Isabel González Whitaker, who want more for their park, for their families, and for their neighborhood.

A Look at Sara J. González Park Isabel dreamed of transforming a small, tired park into a vibrant space that would champion the values of diversity, inclusivity, and family: a space that would honor the name of her mother. She registered a Friends of the Park group with Park Pride and immediately took advantage of the Fiscal Partner Program to raise money. She was later awarded several grants.

When you visit Sara J. González Park today, you’ll find an all-abilities playground, a welcoming plaza, and features that celebrate and encourage a culture of inclusion. The Friends group is also working toward the installation of a learning nook to host educational activities for community members of all ages, as well as a small soccer field and a community garden.

“Communities thrive where there are greenspaces and safe spaces for children to play and for communities to come together.”

~ Isabel González Whitaker, Friends of Sara J. González Park

163Friends of the Park groups

record

Your Support Matters! With your help, Park Pride’s programs—including Friends of the Park, Fiscal Partner, Grants, and Community Gardens—are connecting Friends of the Park groups across Atlanta and DeKalb to resources that help them enrich their communities through park improvements.

Read more about how the Friends of Sara J. González Park accomplished their goals with the support of Park Pride’s services: parkpride.org/sarajgonzalezpark.

Local children enjoy the inclusive playground at Sara J. González Park. Photo credit: Ricardo Martinez

supporting communities

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“I’m a firm believer that we don’t have to leave our neighborhood to have something nice and enjoy something nice. Without Park Pride, we wouldn’t have what we have today.”

~ Gwendolyn Stegall, Friends of Hairston Park

22,500volunteer hours

in parks and on trails

In 2018, our Volunteer Program completed 253 projects, bringing 6,730 volunteers into 64 parks

and the Atlanta BeltLine, a labor investment valued at $452,600.

A Look at Hairston ParkIn celebration of Earth Day, Park Pride and the Friends of Hairston Park rallied over 80 volunteers to dig in and give back during this important day of service.There were volunteers from local small businesses, large corporations, church groups, fraternities, and neighbors representing four adjacent neighborhoods.

Working together, these volunteers removed invasive plants, restored a natural path along the lake, painted and beautified park features, and removed over 30 bags of litter from the park. In addition to the hard work, volunteers enjoyed quite a bit of fun as well!

Park Pride volunteer days are hard work AND fun! Just ask these volunteers at the Urban Food Forest at Browns Mill.

improving parks

Coming Together to Advance the CauseThrough our Volunteer Program, individuals have the opportunity to come together with their communities to make a difference in the places they live. Friends of the Park groups forge relationships and build networks of park supporters that they call on to pick up trash, remove invasive plants, restore habitats, and more. No task is too big when you’ve got friends to rely on!

Learn how the Friends of Hairston Park strengthened their “park pride” by participating in Park Pride’s Volunteer Program: parkpride.org/hairstonpark.

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“The park visioning process was so engaging. There were many

neighbors I hadn’t met before and can now say that we’ll be life-long friends.”

~ Jason Winston, Steering committee member,

Grant Park Visioning

20communities

received landscape design services

The Park Visioning Program pairs communities with our professional landscape architects who help

residents reimagine an existing park or plan a new one. However, it’s about more than designing a great park; it’s about building community.

A Look at Grant ParkAnticipating the future completion of a spur trail from the Atlanta BeltLine to the park’s southeast quadrant—known as Fort Walker—the Grant Park Conservancy and a steering committee of neighbors participated in the Park Visioning Program. They were eager to identify ways to accommodate and welcome the continually growing number of visitors and create a seamless connection to the rest of the park.

They also hoped that Park Pride’s bottom-up approach of community engagement would heal divisions and tensions that had deepened in the preceding years on issues relating to the park.

The community leaned into the park visioning process and, after several public meetings, came to consensus on a plan that preserves the history of Fort Walker with new trails and a grand entrance. Unified, this community has already begun to bring their plans to life.

Expanding the Vision for Great ParksIn 2018, the Park Visioning team also completed a park design for a new Buckhead park, Loridans Park, kicked off the process in DeKalb Memorial Park and Needham Park in DeKalb County, and provided design consultations for 16 other communities.

The Park Visioning Program collects community input through a series of public meetings, like this one at Grant Park.

imagining what’s possible

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Park Pride’s grantmaking programs provide the capital to help Friends of the Park groups take the

next step toward bringing their park dreams to life.

In 2018, 21 Friends of the Park groups received matching funds through our Small Change and Community Building Grants (supported by The Home Depot Foundation) and our Legacy Grants (supported by The Woodruff Foundation). The projects funded will be completed in 2019, enhancing the quality of the park and inviting community members to stay long and visit more often.

“We are so excited for Park Pride’s support. The Fitness Forest our grant will fund will provide exercise opportunities to families, and the sports teams that use the park are already planning their workouts. We will all get healthier together!”

~ Charles Anderson, Friends of Lithonia Park

$864,397in matching grants

awarded to fund capital park projects

2018 Park Pride Grant Recipients• Armand Park (Atl.)

• Cabbagetown Park (Atl.) • Chastain Park (Atl.) • Collier Heights Park (Atl.) • Grant Park (Atl.) • Ira B. Melton Park (DeKalb)

• Kennedy Park (Atl.)

• LaVista Park (DeKalb)

• Lillian Cooper ShepherdPark (Atl.)

• Hampton-BeecherNature Preserve (Atl.)

• Lithonia Park (DeKalb)

• Longdale Park (DeKalb) • Melvin Drive Park (Atl.)

• Memorial DriveGreenway (Atl.)

• Mozley Park (Atl.) • Sara J. González Park (Atl.) • Sidney Marcus Park (Atl.) • South Atlanta Park (Atl.) • Springbrook Park (DeKalb)

• Underwood Hills Park (Atl.)

• Zonolite Park (DeKalb)

This beautiful fishing pier at Chapel Hill Park, funded in part by a Community Building Grant, was completed in 2018 and will be enjoyed for years to come!

making dreams a reality

For more details, visit parkpride.org/2018grants.

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27opportunities to

expand knowledge and enhance skills

Park Pride hosts roundtables, workshops, trainings, and monthly meetings for Friends of the Park groups,

park advocates, business leaders, park professionals, landscape architects and designers, and elected officials to network and learn best practices for addressing park challenges.

Parks & Greenspace ConferenceThe Parks & Greenspace Conference is Park Pride’s premier event and the largest parks conference in the Southeast. The 2018 conference, themed Parks and the Resilient City, attracted over 500 attendees. Comprised of a welcome from City of Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, inspirational keynote speakers, breakout sessions, hands-on workshops, and tours, the program was packed with leaders who are guiding the greenspace conversation locally, nationally, and globally.

Review the conference program: bit.ly/2018parkprogram.

“I attended the conference and saw that it was the event to meet the

people who could help you get things done. I’ve attended every year since.”~ Tina Arnold, Friends of South Bend Park (and Park Pride’s new

Director of Community Building!)

building knowledge

Ken Leinbach, Executive Director of the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee, delivered a passionate keynote address at the Parks and Greenspace Conference. Ken’s desire to make nature accessible to children in urban centers is both timely and relevant for Atlanta residents.

Increasing Opportunities to LearnThroughout 2019, we aim to grow the number of opportunities for Friends of the Park groups and park advocates to enhance their understanding of parks and their potential to make a difference.

We kicked off this year with the first annual Friends of the Park Summit, which brought together over 100 Friends to connect, share, and initiate a new culture of support amongst groups across our service area.

Join us at an event this year! parkpride.org/events.

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strengthening our voice for parks

1unified voice

for parks!

Park Pride’s advocacy initiatives empower residents to participate in public discourse and to take action.

2018 proved to be a banner year for uniting Atlantans and Georgians to support greenspace initiatives.

Highlights include: • Twelve Park Meetings that brought over 150

people together to discuss current greenspace issues and share strategies for achieving park goals.

• Increased funding for City of Atlanta parks. Park Pride called on park advocates to attend council meetings and support an increased budget for park maintenance and operations. Known as the

“cheering squad for parks,” this group successfully communicated the desire for quality parks for all.

• A special meeting hosted to provide input to Atlanta’s Urban Ecology Framework—a plan addressing the need to protect and enhance access to parks, nature, and waterways—attracted 60 attendees eager to have their voices heard.

• Passage of the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Amendment (GOSA) by Georgia voters. Park Pride served as a member of the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Coalition, spearheading the effort to draft and promote the legislation to the public. Through the adoption of GOSA, the state will set aside up to $20 million per year to conserve water and land—including urban parks and trails—for future generations of Georgians and wildlife to enjoy.

Keep the Momentum Going!2018 brought many wins for parks, but our work is far from over! In 2019, we’ll advocate for more funding from local governments for parks, for the protection of our tree canopy, for bringing quality parks and play spaces within a 10-minute walk of all residents, and more!

To receive advocacy alerts, email Rachel Maher, Park Pride’s Communications Manager: rachel@parkpride.org.

Strong and collaborative partnerships with our government partners at the City of Atlanta, City of Brookhaven, City of Tucker, and DeKalb County, are vital for accomplishing more for parks! Park Pride staff pose with new City of Atlanta Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, John Dargle, Jr.

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Rain Garden

PRIVATE RESIDENCE

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Green Street Improvements

project highlights

Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park In the summer of 2018, Park Pride, the English Avenue community, and our partners celebrated the groundbreaking of Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park, a groundbreaking almost a decade in the making.

It began in 2010 when Park Pride engaged several communities on Atlanta’s Westside, including English Avenue, in a comprehensive visioning effort for a series of parks that would help to mitigate chronic flooding caused by rainwater runoff. The parks identified in this plan would also provide much-needed park and community gathering space.

In 2016, a steering committee of residents worked with the Park Visioning team and unified around a detailed conceptual plan for the park that would meet the community’s unique needs.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, the park was dedicated as the Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park, honoring an English Avenue grandmother who was tragically killed by police in her home.

“For a project to truly be community-supported, residents must be at

the table. Community residents have been engaged every step of the way in developing the plans for this park.”

~ Tony Torrence, English Avenue resident,

Co-Chair of the Proctor Creek Stewardship Council

Becoming the Heart of CommunityKathryn Johnston Memorial Park will manage up to 3.5 million gallons of stormwater per year, mitigating the impact of stormwater runoff in the neighborhood. The park will also include a playground, fitness station, and greenspace for games of soccer or flying kites.

More importantly, however, it has the potential to be the heart of the English Avenue community. Residents will finally have a safe place to relax, exercise, play with their families, and meet their neighbors!

Read more about Park Pride’s role and the impact of the Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park on the English Avenue community, and find a complete list of funders and partners: parkpride.org/kathrynjohnstonmemorialpark.

Park Pride engaged English Avenue community members to provide input to the park plan.

This conceptual park plan was created through Park Pride’s Park Visioning process.

A 3-D rendering of Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park brings the plans to life.

Partners celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony for Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park.10

Rain Garden

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Green Street Improvements

Noble ParkThe Friends of Noble Park wanted to rejuvenate their neighborhood park with a new and expanded playground, a place for neighborhood kids to catch the school bus, an open area for free play, and refreshed plantings throughout.

Park Pride awarded the Friends a matching Legacy Grant for the installation of these new amenities.

In September 2018, dozens of families came together for a grand re-opening of the park after the renovation was completed. While the Friends of Noble Park, Park Pride, the City of Atlanta, and several of the project’s funders celebrated the park’s transformation, kids got busy exploring the playground.

Armand Park Visit Armand Park today, and you’ll find a thriving, beloved community park. However, not too long ago this was a condemned property in a neighborhood without access to a park.

The City of Atlanta, seeing an opportunity to provide a trailhead to the South Fork Conservancy’s network of trails, purchased the land and removed the existing dilapidated house. Neighbors formed a Friends group and sought to make this park a community asset.

After successfully applying for a Small Change Grant, the Friends group charged forward and received a Park Pride Legacy Grant. Matched by dollars from neighbors, the City of Atlanta, and several others, these funds supported the first phase of development that included a playground and a walkway into the park.

The community now looks forward to the next phase of development—also supported by a Park Pride Legacy Grant—which will include a raingarden and a pavilion.

Noble Park: Before

Noble Park: After

Armand Park: Before

Armand Park: After

project highlights

“With our Park Pride Legacy Grant, we were able to make our vision—a welcoming park for kids to play and adults to relax, gather, and socialize in the neighborhood—a reality.”

~ Jennifer Denbo, Friends of Noble Park

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park visionary

®

Thank you for supporting Atlanta’s Parks in 2018!

park guardian

park activator

park advocate

A r c h i t e c t s E n g i n e e r s P l a n n e r s

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park visionary

AGL Resources Arborguard Tree SpecialistsAtlanta BeltLine Partnership

Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.Atlanta Gas Light

Atlanta Regional CommissionBatdorf & Bronson CoffeeCentral Atlanta Progress

City of Atlanta Dept. of Parks & RecreationCity of Decatur Active Living

The Coca-Cola CompanyDoosan Infracore International

Integrated Land DesignKAIZEN Collaborative

Metro Atlanta Urban Watershed InstituteMKSK

NewFieldsPlaySouth Playground Creators

Smith Dalia ArchitectsUrban Realty Partners

Thank you for supporting Atlanta’s Parks in 2018!

park guardian

park activator

park advocate

park benefactor

P E R E Z P L A N N I N G + D E S I G N , L L C

park sustainer

park hero

park friend

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Thank you for supporting Atlanta’s Parks in 2018!park activator

AnonymousMorgens West Foundation

Anonymous Mr. & Mrs. Michael D’Antignac

Teed & Sadler Poe

park hero

park advocate

Robin Aiken & Bill BolenPeggy & Gary AllumbaughBalloun Family Foundation

Barbara BorczakClaire & Joseph CronkMelody & Ted DarchBryan & Toni DeLong

Joseph & Robin FinleyLiz Gillespie

K & Tanya WhitnerMay B. & Howell Hollis

Barbara & Bert LevyJane & David Moss

Kristy Rachal

Barbara & Ron ReidLindsey & Peter SonesIain & Tamara StewartEsther & Jim Stokes

Anita & John StricklerMr. & Mrs. Bryan VroonDorothy Yates Kirkley

Elkin G. AlstonMr. & Mrs. James Balloun

Patricia T. BarmeyerNancy & Kirk Billings

Dan & Merrie Boone FoundationGinny & Charles BrewerMartha & Toby Brooks

C. J. & Leslie CashCoca-Cola Bottlers’ Sales &

Services TeamCourtney & Clinton Fletcher

The Goldstein Family Foundation

Edrick HarrisLee Harrop

Skipper & Katie HartleyMatthew HicksHenry L. Howell

Janet & George H. JohnsonLiz & Ed Lohr

Riali & Blake LyonsSheryl & Stuart MeddinMr. & Mrs. Randy Merrill

Starr Moore & James Starr MooreMemorial Foundation

Iliet & Carlos PerezPaul Raulet

JaKathryn RossEllen Hauck & Markham Smith

Mr. & Mrs. SmithMildred & John Spalding

David W. StricklerCarrollee Vernon

David & Lonni WhiteHelen Howell Wray

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Yellowlees

park sustainer

park patronSusan & Carl Cofer

Susan & Edward CroftAnn Q. & James L. CurryWinifred & Tread Davis

Pam Driesell & Joe LovelandAmy Durrell

Katherine & Alan ElsasLouise S. Gunn

Elizabeth & Sheffield HaleJennifer & Michael Halicki

Janet & James HarralsonEd & Lori Heys

Sarah & Harvey Hill, Jr.Sally & Warren Jobe

Randall KentJinny & Michael Keough

Linda Di Santis & Bob KerrKevin McCauleyElaine L. Morgan

Ellen & George Nemhauser

Shayla & Chip RumelyLenny & Shannon Schultz

Keith SharpDanna & Greg SmithSusan & Jim Spratt

Sara & Paul SteinfeldAmalia & Scott StephensSarah & David Sutherland

Mrs. William G. VanceEllen H. Wickersham

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Thank you for supporting Atlanta’s Parks in 2018!

park hero

park advocate

park friendThomas & Anita AdamsMeg & John AhernChris AlasaJudy & Dick AllisonKayla AltlandLisa & Peter AmanAnonymous (6)Claire & H. Ross Arnold IIITina ArnoldEleanor BanisterCathi BarlowAllison & Michael BarnettGale & Stephen BarnettMary Barrett & Xavier DuraldeMr. Thomas A. BarrowWilliam & Donna BarwickEllen & Duncan BeardMr. & Mrs. S. Bryan BenedictMark BerrySally BetheaLori BlankSuzanne & Rob BoasKatie & Jesse BockstedtStacey BoumaFrank & Karen BoykinTom BranchRob & Stephanie BrawnerJim & Anne BreedloveElizabeth & Patrick BruendermanEllen BruendermanWendy BryanTres & Dana CarpenterLesley & Jamie CarrollAlison & Wright CaughmanCatherine ChaseWilliam ClarkAndrew & Amanda CogarJean & Jerry CooperLinda & Dean CopelandRobin & Justin CritzMary Pat & Milt CrouchBarbara & Bo CrumDr. & Mrs. F. Thomas Daly, Jr.Ariane DeLong & RogerChalmersDeborah & Coleman DeMossAudra Dial & Matt FordDon DinkelMary & Bill DodsonMarcia & John DonnellJulie DonovanZibby & Ben Doob

Vickie & Rufus DorseyDianne DossTricia DowningBrenda & William DreyerDruid Hills Civic AssociationMary & Andrew DugenskeEloise EagerDoug & Florida EllisKimberley & Greg EustonMr. & Mrs. Richard FelkerJohn & Cam FentonBob & Cathy FisherLisa Flick WilsonSteven & Catherine FoxMr. & Mrs. William B. FryerThomas D. GambinoEd & Judy GarlandSteven GoldsteinJennifer GreeneMr. & Mrs. James S. GrienMorgan HamlinBetty Hanacek Patrick HandMr. & Mrs. Robert HarkeyBonnie & Jay HarrisAmy HigginsJoy HinkleBrian HookerDr. Ralph & Mary Ellen HortonMichael & Elizabeth IademarcoCaroline JohnHandy Johnson, Jr.John Johnson, Jr. & Chris LewisShannon KetteringColleen KiernanDawn & Tim KillenbergD (Beau) Kimbrough King, Jr.Kip & Harriet KirkpatrickGrant & Felicia KittsAnn & Larry KlamonGeorge LanierPaula Lawton BevingtonJohn & Ione LeeKathy & Richard LeeAlversia LittletonAlex LongElaine & Jerry LuxemburgerJane & Douglas LybrookEllen MachtRachel Maher & Chris WhyteMr. & Mrs. Jay MannellyLindsay Marshall

Elizabeth & David MartinDr. & Mrs. Bill MartinTerry MayEd McBrayerJonathan McCaigRobert & Mimi McCallumCarolyn & Bill McClatcheyKyle McCluskeySari McCorkleKathy & Barrie McFarlaneMr. & Mrs. Todd McGarrityKaren & Hawk McIntoshMarlina McKayGary & Linda McNayMr. & Mrs. Charles McTierWilliam MeckeAddison MeriwetherEmily MilsapsMimosa Garden ClubMr. & Mrs. Charles S. MitchellKatharine & James MontgomeryRoberta MooreBrenda & Charlie MoseleyBob MullenClair MullerDrs. Mike & Christine MurphySherry MusselwhiteMike & Elizabeth NadalChad NashBrian & Beth NonemakerMendie NordMeredith O’ConnorNancy & John OglesbyLisa OwenSusan & Steve OwingsCristina PastoreCraig & Terri PendergrastVirginia & Oscar PersonsSophia PetermanAndrew PletcherMrs. Catherine T. PorterKathy PowellNicole PozzoCindy Weinbaum & MarkPrausnitzLarry & Sandra PrinceHenry & Celia QuillianTim & Julie RalstonPaula RattrayLynn & Kent RegensteinLilly & Jake ReidMargaret & Bob Reiser

Phyllis & Sidney RodbellNancy RogersDavid Ross & Kelli CarrollChristina SanchezBobby SauerMr. & Mrs. Michael SchroderTucker Parks Team Claire SchwahnWard SeymourHarriet ShafferJohn & Peggy ShepardMr. & Mrs. R. Charles ShufeldtLori Kate SmithScott & Pam SpechtAnn SpeerCatherine SpillmanAngela & David StallingsNick StephensAmy Stout & Ted PettusMr. & Mrs. J. Lindsay Stradley, Jr.Jean StromanPam SugarmanTally SweatAustin Tadlock & Erin GammageKimberly TagleClaireda TaylorRick TignerNill & Donna ToulmeGrace TrimbleStephanie Van ParysWayne & Lee Harper VasonKent WalkerKelvin WaltonMargaret & Bill WarrenMatt WestmorelandAndrew WhiteSusan WhiteMaggie & TC WhittakerSusan & Lee WintonDarwin & Mary WomackCharles & Mary YatesChuck & Pat YoungJane & Steve Zoellick

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30 years of impact

The Fiscal Partner Program began in 1998 and allowed communities to raise funds under Park Pride’s nonprofit status and receive administrative support. To date, over $5.5 million has been raised by communities to benefit parks.

In 1989, Park Pride incorporated to serve communities in the City of Atlanta. Soon after, Allison Barnett, who continues today as Park Pride’s Associate Director, was hired as the nonprofit’s first employee.

In 2005, Park Pride hired a landscape architect to launch the Park Visioning Program. Today, 46 conceptual park plans have been completed for parks in Atlanta and DeKalb.

Park Pride hosted the 1st Annual Parks & Greenspace Conference in 2002 with 50 community member participants. Today, the conference is the largest of its kind in the Southeast, attracting over 500 attendees!

Park Pride began offering grants for park improvements in 2004. To date, over $6.6 million in matching grants have been awarded to communities.

The Friends of the Park Program was formalized in 2006. In 2018, Park Pride engaged over 160 Friends of the Park groups across Atlanta, Brookhaven, Tucker, and DeKalb to activate the power of parks.

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In 2007, Park Pride lobbied Atlanta City Council to allow communities to establish community gardens in public parks. Since then, 22 community gardens in parks have flourished.

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Incorporation

Fiscal Partner Program

Grantmaking

Park Visioning Program

Friends of the Park Program

200620042005

200219981989

1 3 5

2 4 616

Parks & Greenspace Conference

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10 years

Park Pride established a relationship with DeKalb County in 2010, expanding its impact beyond the City of Atlanta.

Twenty-five years after its founding, Park Pride surpassed facilitating 500,000 hours of volunteer service in parks, earning the title of “Best Volunteer Program” from Creative Loafing in 2014.

In 2010, Park Pride led the Proctor Creek North Avenue Study, creating a plan to reduce stormwater flooding and identify potential park land within the neighborhoods of the Proctor Creek Watershed. In 2016, Park Pride and partners celebrated the grand opening of Lindsay Street Park: the first park in the English Avenue neighborhood and the first park in the Study to be brought to life!

In its 2017 grantmaking cycle, Park Pride awarded over $1 million to Friends of the Park groups—the largest grant cycle in Park Pride’s history!

The cities of Tucker and Brookhaven joined the Park Pride family in 2018, engaging hundreds more park advocates in pursuit of the greener good!

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Community Gardens

2007

Expansion to DeKalb County

2010

“Best Volunteer Program!”

2014

Proctor Creek North Avenue

Study

2016

$1 million grant cycle!

2017

Expansion to Cities of Tucker and Brookhaven

2018

7 9 11

8 10 1217

Complete audited financial statements can be found at parkpride.org.

of every dollar donated to Park Pride directly activates

the power of parks!

87¢

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september 19, 2019

for the greener goodGALA

save t he

date

green tie

Not your typical, stuffy gala, you’re invited to join us to commemorate Park Pride’s 30th anniversary. Don your “picnic-chic” and comfortable dancing shoes because we’ve got a lot to celebrate

and this event is not to be missed!

presented by

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years

Visit parkpride.org to explore opportunities to volunteer, donate, or improve your park.

Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .eps Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .eps

@parkpride

Park Pride’s Board of DirectorsExecutive CommitteeMelody Darch | Chair Cox Media Group

Carlos Perez | Vice ChairPerez Planning + Design

Lee Harrop | SecretaryWestside Future Fund

Bob Mullen | Past SecretaryCity of Johns Creek

Mark Balloun | Treasurer MultiCam Southeast

Barbara Reid | Past Treasurer Retired CPA

Peggy V. Allumbaugh | At-Large Retired Partner, Deloitte LLP

Lindsey Sones | Past At-LargeMimosa Garden Club

Sadler Poe | Past Chair (ex-officio)Retired Lawyer

Directors Robin Aiken Homrich Berg

Kirk Billings Pope & Land Real Estate

C.J. CashJoe Cronk Alvarez & Marsal

Jeff Ellman Jones Day

Joe Finley Jones Day

Courtney Fletcher Doosan Infracore International

Liz Gillespie North American Properties

Tanya Hairston-Whitner The Home Depot

Matthew Hicks Grady Health System

May B. Hollis Peachtree Garden Club

Barbara Levy Education Connection Advisors

David Moss PricewaterhouseCoopers

Kristy Rachal Georgia Power Company

JaKathryn Ross Georgia-Pacific

Gwendolyn Smith Invesco Ltd.

Tamara C. Stewart Kaiser Permanente

Esther Stokes Stokes Landscape Design

Caroline Vroon Cherokee Garden Club

Joni Winston Center of Joy