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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

YES Nature to Neighborhoods

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YES Nature to Neighborhoods

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Nurturing leaders who champion the well-being of our community. When we don't get it, we don't do so well."

Many children who live in North, South, and Central Richmond have never been on an ocean beach, even though it is less than 20 miles from their home. The world-famous Golden Gate Bridge stretches off in the horizon, a symbol of the proximity of wonders that are out of their reach. Richard Louv, in his seminal work, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder makes the case that "There is something in us that needs nature. YES provides children and families in West Contra Costa access to experiences in the natural environment – opportunities that can ignite the imagination, build self-confidence and enhance social skills. Educators, parents, and camp counselors observe that early exposure to an array of enriching experiences create a child’s sense of possibilities and provide the foundation for success. Each year since 1999, YES has brought children from gritty and often dangerous Richmond neighborhoods to summer camps in pristine natural settings. In more recent years, YES has also offered weekend Family Camps so that entire families can find respite and make new connections while engaging in traditional camp activities: arts & crafts, hiking, campfires, drumming circles, zip-lines, and more. The first difference to strike the children when they arrive at camp is the safety. “There are no gunshots, only crickets,” 8-year-old Arlene said. They can run freely among the car-free fields and trees: for a short time they can experience the limitless joy which should be the birthright of all children.

10/21/2026

Two good rules to practice:
Always let nature do its own thiiiing and celebrate every victory, of every size, with this level of enthusiasm 🦀🐚🏆

10/16/2026

Governor has signed SB 1268, the Outdoors for All Act!🌲🎉 This bill makes California’s commitment to equitable outdoor access lasting by codifying the Outdoors for All initiative at the California Natural Resources Agency.

Thank you to the communities, advocates, organizations, partners, and Californians who helped bring SB 1268 to the governor's desk and across the finish line.

This milestone belongs to everyone who believes our parks, trails, beaches, open spaces, and natural places should be accessible and welcoming 💚

10/02/2026

The only way a day in the park could get any better is if you join us! ✨🚲🌳🎨🛝🌻🧗🏽🍕

THIS SATURDAY! Oct. 3
Nicholl Park
10AM - 2:30PM

Games, arts & crafts, bike rides (if you don't know how, we'll teach you!), your favorite local orgs, and a biiiiiiig climbing wall. AND pizza, if you're punctual ⏰

Bring your friends and family and we'll take care of the rest. All ages welcome.

*All activities will take place on the park lawn, in the center of a paved path. Some activities can be done while seated.*

09/26/2026

It'd be real groovy if you joined us tomorrow night🕺🛼💫 🎵

YES's TREES program is teaming up with some of Richmond's best to help put on 's annual Roller Disco Party:

Saturday, September 26, 2026
4 - 8PM
Unity Park, 1605 Ohio Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804

FREE skate rentals, music, community resources, BMX riders, a climbing wall, arts & crafts , a photo booth, aaaaand (we're serious)... alpacas 🦙

And that's not even all of it! You'll just have to come see it for yourself 👀

09/03/2026

It's been less than three months since the demolition of our old buidling and we're already seeing glimpses of the new one! In just the few days since this timelapse ended, interior and exterior walls have gone up and the vision of Base Camp is really coming to life 🤩

We're so grateful for the partnership and expertise of our design + build team at — who should add "+ videography" to their name! Next time you stroll past 3029 Macdonald, take a second to check out the progress and give our crew a thumbs up!

08/24/2026

It's that time again! We're closing out a busy summer season with our annual staff development week--a time for our team to reconnect and recharge and strategize for the fiscal year ahead.

The YES office will be closed this week and staff will be away from emails. Please visit our website for any questions during this time or contact staff through their direct numbers for any urgent matters.

08/12/2026

Yosemite! 🌲🐿️🗻🏞️⛺️🤎

For the first time since 2016, YES made it back to one of the most beautiful places on earth, getting to share the grandeur of the Southern Sierra Miwok lands with twenty West County youth.

From the top of Sentinel Dome and other lookouts where they hiked, the groups got to admire the vastness of the undeveloped and glacier scarred land—sheer granite cliffs, towering waterfalls, and deep valleys below. Youth called out the abundance of trees, the fresh air, and the waterfalls as things they'd want to bring back to Richmond.

Thanks to for helping us capture these moments while keeping the trails tech-free 📷

07/31/2026

You don’t have to take our word for it!

Through new experiences, new relationships, and the opportunity to expand their world view, young people like King are learning some of life’s biggest lessons at summer camp—like what it means to be a leader.

🎥 “you gotta be able to do the things you need to do and make sure everybody’s all good”

What does being a leader mean to you?

07/23/2026

Dawud kicked off his family's 19-year YES summer camp tradition when he was just eight years old.

From that point on, the age became a milestone in the Coleman house, with each of the five siblings waiting their turn to load onto the bus to camp and experience everything they'd heard in stories: nights under the stars, silly songs, campfires, friends from all over the world🌌

Nearly two decades later, Dawud and his sister Inara still find themselves at camp each summer, but now they're helping shape those profound experiences for the next generation of campers —- including their younger brothers! 💚

The Coleman family's tradition reminds us that a week at summer camp is so much more than that. It's a new experience, new perspectives, new scenery, new job opportunities, and the chance to shape who you can become. As their mom told us:

“It's an investment in a child's growth and future. It helps them build confidence, develop social skills, and become more independent. It also gives them the chance to experience things beyond what they already know and step outside of their comfort zone. Those experiences help them see that the world is much bigger than what's right in front of them, and that can have a lasting impact on the person they grow up to be.”

Read more of her reflection and the impact camp has had at the link in our bio 🔗

07/15/2026

"Creating brave spaces" takes a lot of work and intention, but it often starts with a simple question.

Check-in questions are part of how we build trust, strengthen relationships, and open shared spaces to honest conversation and connection. Some questions invite reflection while others spark laughter, and some can leave you feeling completely stumped until you hear other's responses. Regardless of where they come from, these seemingly simple questions can help us connect more deeply with one another.

One of our recent favorites from staff member Madi to her Nurture Your Power group:
🌎💧🔥💨 Which element do you identify with the most: earth, water, fire, or air?

Adults in the group immediately began talking about traits they admire in themselves, and those they maybe want to grow, and reflecting on how they see the natural world reflected in their own behaviors.

From one simple question!

What are some of your favorite check-in questions?

Address

303 41st Street
Richmond, CA
94805

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+15102323032

Website

http://www.yesfamilies.org/

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