PG&E Playgrounds

Supporting the communities we serve now, and into future years

Studies show that access to play builds skills that foster happier, healthier children who perform better in school.

So PG&E is launching a PG&E Playgrounds program helping to build playgrounds in at-risk and underserved areas we serve. Partnering with KaBOOM!, a nationwide non-profit dedicated to saving play, and the dedicated community partners listed below, we are bringing play and its benefits to children who need it most.

Help build a playground in a single day

Each playground will be built in a single Saturday, all by volunteers. The KaBOOM! community-build model is designed to help a community not only build a playground, but strengthen existing coordination and resources, while acquiring the skills needed to undertake future community improvements.

The build days are much like an old-fashioned barn-raising, but with a playful twist. If you are interested in helping to build a playground for the children of your community, see the "volunteer" info for each site.

About KaBoom!

KaBOOM! is a national non-profit dedicated to saving play for America's children. Their mission is to create great playspaces through the participation and leadership of communities. Ultimately, they envision a place to play within walking distance of every child in America.
Find out more about KaBoom!

What We're Building

Help make both a playground and a neighborhood’s dreams a reality in a single Saturday!

Jefferson Playground Project – Eureka CA

Eureka's Westside - home to the area's lowest income and most ethnically diverse residents - lost both its local school and community space when Jefferson Elementary closed in 2005. For over 70 years, the Jefferson playground served as a place for neighborhood children to play and families to meet. When the playground was locked and eventually removed, the community was left without a public place. In response, a group of concerned neighbors formed the Westside Community Improvement Association (WCIA) and began to plan and organize the abandoned school yard's renovation. Their vision is a re-opening of a public park that revitalizes the community and serves the needs of hundreds of neighborhood children. PG&E is proud to recognize the WCIA's efforts, and to further them with the support for a playground.

Come join WCIA members, PG&E employees, and community volunteers in building this playground in a single day. No experience required - simply bring your enthusiasm and interest in helping improve this community for years to follow.

Build Day
Saturday, July 14, 2012
8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
1000 B Street Eureka, CA 95501

Volunteer to build this playground in a day
Breakfast and lunch, T-shirt and water bottle will be provided

What We've Built

Santa Rosa, California

With many families in the economically challenged Roseland area living in high volume apartment complexes, options for outdoor play are limited. Access to play was further limited by the neighborhood’s known crime and gang activity. As a result, the nearly 20-year old school playground functioned as a well used part of the community. Slowly becoming unsafe, and with replacement parts no longer available, PG&E sponsored a new, safe playground for the community to enjoy.

On December 3, close to 300 volunteers- parents, partners, neighbors and PG&E employees arrived at Roseland Elementary to bring the new playground to life. Over the course of 6 hours, the community mixed more than 20,000 pounds of concrete and moved close to 125,000 square feet of safety surface- all by hand. These efforts created the foundation for swing sets, spiral slides and a rock wall. As the day came to a close, dozens of volunteers shouldered the final piece- a giant climbing dome- carrying it as a team in to place with a cheer.

"We aren't just building a playground. We’re building community" said Sonoma County Supervisor Efren Carrillo, himself a graduate of Roseland.

We were proud to celebrate Roseland Elementary ‘s new playground with the following Community Partners:

Roseland School District
Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County
Watch the PG&E Community Relations team in action.

Oceano, California

Located in a portion of San Luis Obispo County laden experiencing financial hardship, the Oceano Boys & Girls Club facility has no playground for the children they serve. As one of the only non-profit groups serving area youth, a playground will help draw the wider community to the club's programs and events. PG&E is proud to recognize the Boys and Girls Club of South San Luis Obispo County's efforts, and to further them with the support for a playground.

On December 10, over 100 PG&E employees from across San Lous Obispo county arrived in Oceano. The event proved so popular that the small, urban site at the headquarters of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South San Luis Obispo County in Oceano quickly filled to capacity with 200 volunteers. Over the course of the day, the club's barren asphalt was transformed into an impressive playground complete with a rock-climbing wall and a twisty slide. The project also included shade structures, murals and an outdoor classroom. The work required mixing 18,000 pounds of concrete and moving 105 yards of mulch – all done by hand

The day culminated with a $73,000 ceremonial check from John Conway, a PG&E senior vice president and chief nuclear officer representing PG&E's support of the project.

"The bigger contribution is the turnout. This is a sea of blue here, and we’re really pleased to be able to help the community here in Oceano," said Conway of the many PG&E employees and others wearing the day's distinctive blue volunteer shirts.

We were proud to celebrate this new play space with the South San Luis Oblspo Boys and Girls Club.

Community Partners:

Roseland School District
Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County

PG&E's Community Relations Team in the News

Fresno, California

El Dorado Park is a vibrant and ethnically diverse community currently experiencing some of the highest rates of poverty in Fresno. A majority of families live in multi-unit housing, and the nearest playground is nearly 2 miles away. As a result, play can become unsafe, with children finding makeshift alternatives, or encountering traffic in the area alleyways. Occupying shared grounds, the Boys & Girls Club and Wesley Methodist offer supervision and support for neighborhood children, but have no play space for them. PG&E's sponsorship of a new playground will serve more than 100 area children everyday.

On December 17 over 250 volunteers arrived to support the children of this community. Beyond co-recipients the Boys and Girls Club and Wesley Methodist Church, who share usage of the playground, volunteers or representatives from Fresno State University, the Fresno Region Foundation, and the El Dorado Park Economic Development Council were present. Over the course of 6 hours, an empty field was transformed into a formal playground- with double swing set, two slides, and playhouse. Additionally, a safety fence was installed along the adjacent alley. Working together, the community moved over 42,000 square feet of safety surface and mixed more than 16,500 pounds of concrete- all by hand.

Celebrating the day's achievements, Shawn Cooper, chief of staff for the office of the chairman at PG&E, presented a $73,000 ceremonial check, representative of PG&E's support of the project.

"Thank you for supporting these children. Thank you from me and on behalf of the Boys and Girls Club, but most of all from the kids," said Rico Guerrero, assistant executive director for the Boys and Girls Club of Fresno County.

We were proud to celebrate this new play space with the El Dorado Boys and Girls Club.