The educational objective that was met was a successful learning trip to Ano Nuevo and the Seymour Discovery Center. The leaders and the kids were exposed to the elephant seals for the first time and learned about ocean life. The learning was evident in a debrief follow-up session with Sweet Potato leaders and the feedback given by the youth who participated.

Since the last update, we’ve met several project goals and educational objectives. We organized outdoor trips  that gave kids enriching experiences and exposure to nature. These trips helped foster their appreciation for  the environment. We also taught conservation and environmental awareness through the environmental justice  events and trip-based materials. The methods used to measure those objectives were feedback from staff and  participants and attendance tracking, which showed strong engagement. Overall, we successfully reached our  goals and audience. 

We have encountered two significant hurdles that have had a notable impact on our partnership development efforts: the El Dorado Park CDC's capacity and our own organizational constraints.

The El Dorado Park CDC's traditional volunteer-driven model presented a challenge when the mandate for this project required hiring a project director and four coordinators. However, due to various factors, the recruitment and onboarding process took longer than anticipated. The recent appointment of the Project Director and Kids Club Director, albeit delayed by a year, has understandably caused setbacks in the initiation of our program.

Internally, our organizational capacity faced limitations when our original project manager departed earlier this year, leaving a void in leadership. The recruitment process for a new project manager extended beyond expectations, and we were unable to fill the position until October. In the interim, our District Manager temporarily assumed the role to bridge the gap until someone could be strategically reassigned from another department to take on the project responsibilities once available. This disruption in project management continuity further impacted our ability to progress seamlessly.

Despite these challenges causing delays, we are proactively addressing them to ensure a smoother trajectory moving forward. The appointment of a new project manager at Sierra RCD and the hiring of a Project Director at El Dorado Park CDC have injected a renewed emphasis on building partnerships, marking positive strides in overcoming these hurdles. We remain steadfast in our commitment to the success of the grant project and deeply appreciate your understanding as we navigate and enhance our partnership development efforts.

EDP CDC has successfully completed all activities and deliverables outlined in the Scope of Work. Since the last report four Environmental Justice Community Engagements (EJCEs) were completed to fulfill the annual deliverable requirements. Additionally, we organized six community trips, including one three-day, two-night camping trip and four-day trips. We have also completed the Kids Club for the 2023-2024 period and successfully conducted a five-week Summer Program 2024.

EJCE Activities in the Community 3. Environmental Justice Community Events - Earth Day Celebration On April 20, 2024, the EDP CDC hosted a community event dedicated to transforming lawns into sustainable gardens. This event aimed to educate participants on converting traditional lawns into gardens that adhere to the City of Fresno's drought-tolerant horticulture guidelines, while also addressing important environmental justice issues.

The central challenge we encountered revolved around establishing a partnership with the El Dorado Park Community Development Corporation. Building this collaboration not only required a substantial amount of time but was further complicated by their limited capacity, given the absence of paid staff, and turnover in our project manager for the program. These factors significantly extended the timeline for the full launch of our program.