San José Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department – San José, CA

Established in the 1940s, the City of San Jose’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department (Department) has provided traditional parks and recreation services for more than 75 years. Over time, it has grown to include nontraditional activities such as senior nutrition and transportation services; preschool and afterschool programs; and youth violence reduction, intervention, and prevention. The Department’s mission is to build healthy communities through people, parks and programs. Its vision is to be a national leader of parks and recreation in cultivating healthy communities through quality programs and dynamic public spaces. To do so, it is guided by the principles of accessibility, inclusiveness, affordability, equity, diversity, sustainability, and flexibility. At a national level, parks and recreation professionals are guided by 3 pillars: conservation, health and wellness, and social equity. The Department strives to build community through fun and make and activate quality places in San Jose where people want to live, work, play, and learn. Specifically, the Department acquires, constructs, operates, and maintains parkland in 200 neighborhood parks, 9 regional parks, 3 public golf courses, and a host of unique facilities; provides recreational and community programs for youth, teens, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities by operating and partnering to run 50 community centers; and provides youth violence prevention and intervention services through the San Jose Youth Empowerment Alliance.