First 5 Contra Costa partnered with parent advocacy groups in order to help Contra Costa County secure grant funding to renovate parks in underserved communities.
Parent advocacy groups West County Regional Group and East County Regional Group, both sponsored by First 5 Contra Costa, played an instrumental role in helping Contra Costa County secure over $7 million in grant funds for renovating local parks in underserved communities. Collectively $15 million was awarded to Contra Costa County, and their Regional Groups were largely involved in 2 of the 3 parks that were chosen within the county. Those groups helped identify the two parks as those in highest need of attention and helped organize– in partnership with First 5 Contra Costa, Healthy & Active Before 5, the City of Richmond, and the City of Antioch– community workshops to establish the vision and design for both parks. They also helped with writing the grant application.
“It’s an amazing example of how First 5 can partner with parents to uplift their voices in the community and create generational change, including in underserved communities which this grant focused on,” said Communications Specialist Brian Kelley.
