January

The year was one of renewal and refocus, beginning with President Jack Foley welcoming Jessica Ellis as PFP’s new Executive Director at the group’s first Board of Directors meeting of 2012.

At the end of January, years of planning and hard work came to fruition when hundreds of parents and children from the neighborhood around Trinity Street Elementary School in South Los Angeles helped inaugurate the first Community-School Park sponsored by People for Parks and the L.A. Unified School District

February

One week later, PFP and the LAUSD cut the ribbon on a second Community-School Park in Hollywood’s Vine Street Elementary School. At right, City Councilman Tom LaBonge leads parents and students around the new composite track. In the past year, both CSPs have become foundations for good health in the underserved working class neighborhoods.

April

A coalition of civic leaders and grass roots activists held a conference on the steps of City Hall to announce it would ask voters to approve a parcel tax to support parks, and that it would fight “charge backs” that have gutted the budget for City parks. PFP Vice President John Perez is seen in the back row.

May

The community garden in Nickerson Gardens continues to grow and serve the largest public housing development west of the Mississippi, thanks to funding from People for Parks and hard work by the L.A. Conservation Corps, and sweat equity by residents. In the photo, PFP’s Fran Hrobak, left, talks with resident Susie Gonzalez and LAPD Officer Marisol Plascencia, who is part of a community outreach team assigned to the Watts projects.

June

People for Parks recruited dozens of at-risk youth for Green Teams, a training program funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. Several of the trainees in the photo at left attended Vine Street Elementary when they were children, and returned to learn how to create and maintain parks from PFP partner the Hollywood Beautification Team.

Green Team members at right received certificates after completing training with the Coalition for Responsible Community Development. Much of their hands-on classes were at the Trinity Street CSP. Graduates are now looking for work in public and private recreation.

August

PFP President Jack Foley welcomed two new members of the Board of Directors: Mika Yamamoto of the L.A. County Parks and Recreation Department replaced Joe Mendoza, and British Olympian “Sammy” Davies Clayton. Also joining the Board was former Major League shortstop Royce Clayton.

Also in August, People for Parks began an intense round of fundraising, beginning with a house party hosted by PFP Board members Joanie Conley and Diana Pollard. In the photo at right, Beyond the Bell staffers Angie Medina and Jessica Lopez describe their work with children at the Trinity Street Community-School Park.

September

Newscaster Laura Diaz welcomed participants to a Malibu town hall meeting to discuss ways that sports can bring together Watts and West Los Angeles. The fundraiser also featured singer Mariana Balquiarena and reports from One Watts leaders.

October

Graduate Nick Pedreira told guests at the 11th annual Parks Celebration about his experiences in the Green Team training program. This year’s honorees were two long-time PFP supporters, Councilman Eric Garcetti and City Controller Wendy Greuel. Also speaking was Rand Corp. researcher Dr. Deborah Cohen.

One Watts/Watts Unido kicked off its second season of soccer in late October in Ted Watkins Park. In the photo, PFP Board member Sammy Clayton warmed up young participants before the tryouts.