Growing Together: How Bernal Heights Residents Can Nurture Community Through Green Spaces
In the southeast corner of Bernal Heights, between Nevada and Putnam Streets, a once-neglected hillside has blossomed into the beloved Tompkins Stairway Garden. This transformation didn’t happen overnight – it resulted from dedicated neighbors coming together to create something beautiful and lasting. Today, this vibrant community space proves what we can accomplish by combining our efforts.
As our neighborhood faces challenges from climate change to increasing urban density, green spaces like the Tompkins Stairway Garden become increasingly precious. They provide environmental benefits, create community gathering spaces, and bring beauty to our daily lives. But these spaces can only thrive with ongoing care and support from residents like you.
Join the Tompkins Stairway Garden Volunteers!
Why Your Involvement Matters
The Tompkins Stairway Garden began as a grassroots effort when neighbors decided to reclaim a trash-covered hillside. That same community spirit continues to keep it flourishing today. Here’s why your participation is so valuable:
- Sustainability: Community-maintained green spaces reduce our ecological footprint while creating habitat for local wildlife and pollinators.
- Connection: Working alongside neighbors strengthens our community bonds and creates a shared purpose.
- Resilience: Green spaces enhance air quality, mitigate urban heat islands, and help manage stormwater, making our neighborhood more resilient to climate-related challenges.
- Well-being: Research consistently demonstrates that access to green spaces enhances the mental and physical health of everyone in the community.
How You Can Get Involved
Volunteer Your Time
The Tompkins Stairway Garden hosts regular maintenance days on the first Saturday of each month. These gatherings are perfect opportunities to:
- Learn gardening skills from experienced neighbors
- Meet others who care about our community spaces
- Contribute directly to neighborhood beautification
- Experience the satisfaction of watching your efforts bloom
No gardening experience? No problem! Seasoned volunteers are happy to teach newcomers, and there are tasks suited to all ability levels.
Donate Resources
Even if you can’t physically volunteer, your contributions make a difference:
- Donate gardening tools, gloves, or drought-resistant plants
- Contribute to fundraising efforts for irrigation systems, soil amendments, or new plantings
- Sponsor a bench, informational sign, or other garden features
- Provide refreshments for volunteer work days
No matter how small, every contribution helps sustain and enhance our community spaces.
Become an Advocate
Your voice matters in preserving and expanding green spaces in Bernal Heights:
- Attend neighborhood association meetings to support green initiatives
- Contact local officials about the importance of funding for community gardens
- Share information about volunteer opportunities with neighbors
- Document and share the garden’s beauty and progress on social media
- Invite friends to join you at the next volunteer day
The Ripple Effect
Your impact extends far beyond a single space when you support the Tompkins Stairway Garden or similar neighborhood initiatives. You’re helping to:
- Inspire similar projects throughout San Francisco
- Create a model for community-led urban transformation
- Build the next chapter in our neighborhood’s story
- Leave a living legacy for future generations
Just as the “Steps to Peace” in Syria inspired the garden’s colorful tiled stairway, our local efforts connect us to a global movement of communities taking charge of their shared spaces.
Join Us
Whether you have a few hours each month or want to contribute occasionally, your involvement in Bernal Heights’ green spaces makes a difference. The Tompkins Stairway Garden is a beautiful testament that we can transform our community one small patch at a time when neighbors come together.
To get started, mark your calendar for the next volunteer day, follow the garden’s social media pages, or stop by to appreciate what your neighbors have created – and imagine how you might help it grow.
Together, we can ensure that Bernal Heights remains a vibrant, green, and connected community for generations.
Join the Tompkins Stairway Garden Volunteers! | Join Us in Greening Our Neighborhoods