The San Francisco Department of the Environment provides environmental justice grants to community groups and non-profit organizations serving the Potrero Hill and Bayview Hunters Point communities. Grants support groups that are helping to improve quality of life by building resilient, sustainable communities in the Southeast area of San Francisco.
Grant Recipients (2010-2012)
Asian Neighborhood Design
With an emphasis on the city’s southeastern communities, Asian Neighborhood Design is using their environmental justice grant award for engaging San Francisco residents with green workforce employment training and development, conducting community environmental responsibility workshops for improving indoor air quality, and promoting energy efficiency in low-income homes.
Literacy for Environmental Justice
Literacy for Environmental Justice is using this grant funding for infrastructure improvements to increase capacity at their native plant nursery in Hunters Point. The plants grown in the nursery will be used for public open space amenities, including restoration of SF's southeastern shoreline.
Urban Sprouts
Urban Sprouts is using the funding to develop the school garden and a garden-based education program at International Studies Academy in Potrero Hill, in order to improve access to nutritious and fresh produce and advance community knowledge of gardening and local food systems. Garden-based education will be offered through in-school classes for youth and workshops for families.
Grant Recipients (2001-2010)
Alemany Farm/Alemany Residents Management Corporation trained and employed youth from Alemany and Bayview Hunters Point to grow organic fruits and vegetables at Alemany Farm and sell them at the BVHP Farmers' Market.
All Hallows Community Senior Center added a 13.1 kW solar photovoltaic system to the existing 2.5 kW solar array on the All Hallows building. All Hallows Gardens Residents Association provided indoor air filtration systems to residents of the All Hallows Garden complex and performed community outreach to educate residents about indoor air quality.
Arc Ecology created a “Community Window” center that posts information on the status of the Shipyard clean up, Parcel E remediation, community emergency alert, and job opportunities.
Bayview Hunters Point Community Advocates conducted a solar training program for Bayview residents, provided energy audits and installed alternative energy systems on non-profit buildings and low-income homes.
Bayview Hunters Point Health and Environmental Resource Center (HERC) developed a needs assessment and feasibility study for the expansion of the Southeast Health Center. HERC also recruited and trained Bayview Hunters Point residents to conduct home assessments for asthma triggers related to household cleaning and pest control products.
Bayview Hunters Point Multipurpose Senior Services provided information and conducted presentations about asthma and other environmental health concerns to seniors in Bayview Hunters Point. They also screened 500 residents for those conditions and made referrals for medical treatment.
Bret Harte Elementary School promoted horticulture education for students and families in the Bayview by creating a school/community garden, which serves as an outdoor science classroom and gathering space for community events.
Chinese Progressive Association conducted a needs assessment and survey, and performed outreach to Spanish and Chinese-language residents in the Southeast neighborhoods to address air pollution concerns and encourage local residents to participate in public hearings
Communities for a Better Environment provided technical assistance to residents and community-based organizations in Bayview Hunters Point and Potrero Hill on energy programs and resources. Through education and organizing, they mobilized community members to participate in energy-related policy decisions.
Community Alliance with Family Farmers built a "Buy Fresh, Buy Local" campaign in Southeast San Francisco to promote the direct purchase of locally grown food from farmers' markets and community-supported agriculture distributors, and to promote farm-direct sales of produce to local retailers, restaurants, and institutional markets.
San Francisco Department of Public Health increased awareness of health care services, promoted preventive care measures, and enrolled residents in existing free or low-cost health care plans.
Economic Opportunity Council of San Francisco expanded their food pantry program at the Potrero Hill Family Resource Center to include Saturday services, nutrition education program, healthy food certificates, and some home deliveries.
Friends of the Urban Forest planted 400 trees and cared for an additional 1400 trees in Bayview Hunters Point and Potrero Hill. In addition to improving air quality and reducing sewage run-off, the project also promoted economic development and youth employment by introducing at-risk youth from Bayview Hunters Point to careers in urban forestry.
Girls 2000, a project of Hunters Point Family, received funding from the Salton Fund/ California Attorney General’s office and from SF Environment for the development of a farmers market in Bayview Hunters Point. They also introduced nutrition and urban agriculture into their afterschool program and distributed fresh produce in a biodiesel van.
Global Exchange developed a Green Careers Program at City College of San Francisco/Southeast Campus to provide classroom training and hands-on internships with green businesses to improve the environment in San Francisco's Bayview Hunters Point and Potrero Hill neighborhoods.
Goodwill Industries installed pollution reduction devices on trucks serving the Goodwill’s Bayview Hunters Point store, began using biodiesel in the training vehicle at its truck driving school, the Bayview Hope Trucking Academy, and purchased a truck training simulator for the Hope Trucking Academy to reduce on-road emissions by students and future truckers.
Green Depot promoted access to and use of biodiesel fuel by performing outreach and education to local truck fleets and drivers of diesel vehicles in the Southeast area. Green Depot also increased access by supporting a local biodiesel cooperative.
Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice conducted a multilingual education and outreach program around diesel emissions and idling health risks and regulations, trained Bayview Hunters Point residents to conduct home assessments for asthma triggers related to household cleaning and pest control products, promoted energy conversation and renewables, and mobilized community members to influence government decisions on energy issues, particularly the closure of the Hunters Point power plant.
GRID Alternatives’ Solar Affordable Housing Program installed solar electric generation systems on low-income or affordable housing units, implemented energy efficiency measures, increased access to low/no interest financing program, and assisted local residents in obtaining California Energy Commission rebates.
Housing Conservation and Development Corporation improved housing in the Bayview Hunters Point and Potrero Hill areas through energy retrofits, weatherization, energy-efficient appliance replacement, and other conservation measures.
Kids in Parks added two 6th grade classes from Gloria R. Davis Middle School to the Kids in Parks program. Students attended field trips and learned about natural history in Bayview Hunters Point.
Literacy for Environmental Justice received funding from SF Environment and the Salton Fund/ California Attorney General’s office for development of a farmers market in Bayview Hunters Point, adding cooking demonstrations and nutrition presentations to farmers’ market programming. LEJ also received funding from SF Environment for the construction of the EcoCenter at Heron’s Head Park. The EcoCenter is the city’s first 100% off-the-grid building, and serves as a learning and community center for all of the city to enjoy.
M. Cubed and San Francisco Community Power created a non-profit organization to promote energy efficiency in Bayview Hunters Point and Potrero Hill. EJ funds were used by San Francisco Community Power to replace old, inefficient refrigerators with new efficient Energy Star refrigerators and help offset the cost of energy efficient appliances at local small businesses.
Peacekeepers, a project of Hunters Point Family, restored and continues to maintain the community garden at the Alice Griffith Housing Complex, providing fresh, organic vegetables to residents.
Potrero Hill Neighborhood House conducted an energy retrofit and weatherization of their community center, including installation of photovoltaic systems.
Quesada Gardens Initiative dedicated garden space to food production, developed the Bridgewiew Garden and several other community gardens, and supplied organic produce from gardens to residents and markets, including the Bayview Hunters Point farmers' market. Quesada Gardens also developed the "Bayview Backyard Gardens" program to address energy, environmental, and public health concerns in the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood by installing modular backyard gardens that locally produce healthy food and encourage physical activity.
San Francisco Conservation Corps connected SFCC and Corpsmembers to the emerging green collar sector by integrating green principals and practices into their trainining curriculum and strengthening SFCC's relationships with employers.
San Francisco Food Bank installed energy efficiency measures and a 15 kW solar photovoltaic system at the food bank’s Potrero Hill warehouse/office building.
Shoreview Environmental improved indoor air quality and assist with environmental health impacts at the Shoreview apartment complex in Bayview Hunters Point.
Southeast Food Access Working Group improved food access in Bayview Hunters Point through the Food Guardian Project, which is a lay health worker effort, where residents are trained to educate, advocate, mobilize, and work on SEFA’s three pillars: urban agriculture, food access, and raising awareness.
St. Gregory’s Food Pantry opened two new pantries in Bayview Hunters Point and Potrero Hill and developed an emergency food bag system to use when an overflow of people occurs.
Strybing Arboretum Society/San Francisco Botanical Garden recruited and trained residents in horticulture program to enable entry into careers in gardening.
Willie Brown Jr. Academy taught weekly garden classes and hosted food-related events for students, provided student internships and organized a summer camp, and conducted outreach and education activities for parents.
Young Community Developers developed an environmental training program to teach residents about hazardous materials services such as performing lead and asbestos sampling and abatement.