What does it mean to #LoveParks?
By Yordanos Tesfazion
From celebrations to protests, parks and public spaces are universally understood to be places where people can share goals and aspirations, commemorate special occasions, release pent-up energy, and create unforgettable memories. Public parks, outdoor plazas, recreation centers, community gardens, multi-use trails, and countless other types of parks and public spaces are sacred sites we have the privilege of utilizing day in and day out because of people in our communities who love them.
What does it mean to #LoveParks and public spaces? It means appreciating the role they play in communities, affirming their immediate and long-term impact with our time and resources, and ensuring they are truly safe and accessible to everyone.
Since 1999, Seattle Parks Foundation has been powered by a vast community of partners and supporters who #LoveParks and public spaces. The stories and ambitions of those who visit and tend to these spaces are embedded in them. Behind every plot of public and privately-owned land in King County, which sits on the unceded ancestral lands of the Duwamish, Suquamish, Stillaguamish, and Muckleshoot Peoples, is a civic leader, neighbor, volunteer, advocate, or donor. These multifaceted individuals, unified by their love for parks and public spaces, possess the lived experiences and knowledge that allow them to understand why these places matter, what makes them special, and how to preserve them in an honorable manner.
Like us, parks and public spaces require time, resources, and love to thrive. Our generous community of park and public space advocates share their time, resources, and love in a variety of ways. They volunteer at our partners’ early morning restoration work parties, make recurring donations as members of the Evergreen Team, and fundraise for their favorite park and public space projects. Join their efforts and learn about all the ways you can give to Seattle Parks Foundation.
February: Love Parks Day, Free T-Shirts, and Matching Gift Month
In honor of Love Parks Day on February 14, 2026, new Evergreen Team members who make their first recurring donation this month will receive a Love Parks t-shirt as a token of our appreciation. Whether your monthly gift goes towards a partner’s project or Seattle Parks Foundation’s operations, your commitment places you among donors who support a range of community-led grassroots projects under our ever-growing fiscal sponsorship program. Learn more about the Evergreen Team and become a recurring donor today.
“Restaurant 2 Garden takes leftover food from nearby places and turns it into rich compost that grows new food right in the neighborhood. It builds healthy soil, supports community gardens, and could even bring food back to local restaurants, a full circle that keeps helping the community again and again! We need more of this, and that’s why I support it!” – Kamal Patel, recurring donor to Restaurant 2 Garden
“Without a doubt, parks are central to the soul of Seattle. They are the lungs of our city, a physical expression of democracy, and a place for everyone to be their most authentic self. I’m proud to support Seattle Parks Foundation because they are the engine of a movement: empowering our neighbors to own the future of their parks.” – Marlon Herrera, board member and recurring donor to Seattle Parks Foundation
This month is a great time to join the Evergreen Team! February is Matching Gift Month, when employers give to causes their employees care about. Consider becoming a workplace recurring donor and request that your company match your gift. Learn how to double your donation through employer matching.
Kamal, Marlon, and a multitude of other donors, sponsors, partners, and volunteers #LoveParks and make our work possible. The community-centric framework and lens our network operates under is sustainable and successful because we #LoveParks and public spaces, appreciate the role they play in communities, affirm their immediate and long-term impact with our time and resources, and ensure they are truly safe and accessible to everyone.
Learn more about the partners and projects your gifts will support.