Friends of SC Parks Introduces “Pennies For Parks” Program

Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks (Friends) announced it has created an additional funding stream to support Kids2Parks: Pennies for Parks.

Customers at Friends-operated ParkStores can now round up their purchases to the next dollar. The extra pennies support field trips to local state parks and beaches through Kids2Parks, an innovative park-equity program bringing students from Title 1 schools on State Park field trips.

Friends operates ParkStores at: • Natural Bridges State Beach • Wilder Ranch State Park • Seacliff State Beach • Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park • New Brighton State Beach (seasonal). The shops offer nature and history themed merchandise with sales benefiting local parks and beaches.

“Many small donations add up very quickly,” Friends’ Executive Director Bonny Hawley said. “The next time you make a purchase in a ParkStore, please consider rounding up to support the Kids2Parks program bringing more kids into our local state parks and beaches.”

Kids2Parks, a partnership with California State Parks, increases the number of elementary school students from San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties who have visited a state park or beach by reducing barriers to access with funding for program supplies and transportation to and from the parks. Title 1 is a designation by the US Department of Education that primarily indicates a high percentage of students from low-income families.

One hundred percent of revenue from ParkStore purchases supports local state parks. The customer donations from rounding-up with the Pennies for Parks program will go directly to the Kids2Parks program.

“This is a great way park visitors can help to bring local schoolchildren to the parks by supporting our Kids2Parks programs,” said Linda Hitchcock, Santa Cruz District State Park Interpreter III.

•••

Learn more at ThatsMyPark.org or via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.