YES, Bridging Families to Nature As I watched late one Sunday afternoon, cars were pulling up to park outside the building opposite Nicholl Park in Richmond. Tumbling out of the cars came groups of youngsters and parents, tired, and extremely happy, with their weekend adventure. They had just returned from Family Camp, a cross-cultural, community-building weekend connecting Richmond families with nature. It was clearly an experience that would stay with them as they returned to their homes, and the staff of dedicated leaders knew from the smiles and embraces that the weekend’s experiences would leave a lasting impression. By Derek Daniels This was YES Nature to Neighborhoods (YES) at work. YES was founded in July, 1999 when Diane Mintz , a real estate broker volunteering in a Richmond elementary school, had the idea of taking inner city youth out of the city and into a new outdoor environment. It was a small beginning but has grown in 15 years into one of the Bay Area’s most important organizations for providing environmental and leadership experiences for children and their parents who live in under-resourced neighborhoods in Richmond and West Contra Costa County.
Contra Costa Marketplace - Aug 2015
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