Exploration Portal at Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose

The Authority helped to fund the development and construction of an outdoor classroom and the installation of interpretive signage and trails at the Our City Forest Urban Forestry Educational Site at Martial Cottle Park in San Jose. Taken together, the classroom, signs, and trails showcase outdoor exhibits and provide facilitated and self-guided tours for the community, providing visitors a one-of-a-kind Urban Forest Education Center for learning about Santa Clara County's urban forest and its ecosystem, and how to engage in its growth, care, and protection.

Garden to Table Silicon Valley's Growing Our Urban Roots Youth Education Program provides a hands-on learning opportunity for students to step into leadership roles, become environmental stewards, and build community resilience. It empowers middle school and high school students as leaders in their community to grow food sustainability while providing mentorship and teaching opportunities for our next generation.

The Authority helped fund Valley Verde’s San Jose Family Gardening Project, which creates and maintains community and home gardens in collaboration with 140 low-income families. The project addresses the need for access to green spaces for underserved families, healthy and affordable fresh food, and environmental education. Valley Verde provides families with raised-bed gardens at home along with all the supplies needed to grow fresh vegetables and a year of monthly workshops which cover topics such as urban agriculture, habitat for native wildlife, and water conservation. After one year, participants are eligible to become mentors for other families in the program, growing the circle of environmentally sustainable gardening skills and fostering sense of community in urban areas.