DEL MONTE FOREST CONSERVANCY Year Founded: 1961 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 0 paid, 12 volunteers Budget: $574,750 (831) 373-1293 delmonteforestconservancy.org BIG IDEA: Professional interpretive naturalists help power the Del Monte Forest Conservancy’s youth outreach programs. Their Youth Environmental Program provides more than 60 annual field trips for K-8 students throughout Monterey County. Demand is growing for these hands-on experiences in Monterey pine forests and coastal dunes, all of which follow the state’s Next Generation Science standards. Support for this Big Idea supplies instructional materials, field equipment, and, often the biggest reason field trips are canceled, busing. “On our most recent visit, students got to observe pods of California gray whales migrating south. The students sat on the hillside, transfixed, watching the parade of spouts. Most of them had never seen such a display before. Just prior to that, the class was fortunate enough to discover a family of woodpeckers flying in and out of a dead pine tree. This sighting provided a valuable lesson for students to see that every part of a habitat can play an important role. Each visit provides a valuable experience that opens children’s eyes. It makes them more aware and appreciative of the nature around them.” -Pam Gillooly FIRST TEE - MONTEREY COUNTY Year Founded: 2004 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 79 paid, 173 volunteers Budget: $7,300,000 (831) 800-3452 firstteemontereycounty.org BIG IDEA: The most persistent sand trap facing a school’s field trip budget remains stubbornly high, and rising, transportation costs. First Tee - Monterey County covers busing costs for any of its 47 partner schools facing budget shortfalls, helping 13,143 golfers reach the organization’s unique golf-based youth development program after school. Donations to this Big Idea transportation fund will help First Tee reach its goal of serving 15,000 youth in 2026. “I had such an amazing time as a participant, volunteer and eventual staff member at First Tee. I not only learned how to become a better golfer, but First Tee helped prepare me to succeed in life and in my career. The program gave me the skills to navigate personal and professional growth during a formative time in my life. I am grateful that First Tee exists in communities that need it most, opening doors and providing mentorship to young people who might not otherwise know this support is available.” -Reinel Pauline Nocon FRIENDS OF THE SALINAS PUBLIC LIBRARY Year Founded: 1978 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 0 paid, 20 volunteers Budget: $25,190 (831) 596-0299 friendsofthesalinaspubliclibrary.org BIG IDEA: Friends of the Salinas Public Library is building on last year’s successful teen campaign, including the LitLibLook teen literacy program, with this year’s Big Idea. The nonprofit is seeking donations to help bring free books, for readers ages 7 to 12, to recreation centers. These book giveaways also introduce readers to the Friends’ genre-spanning Reading Quest book club. After exploring a newto-them genre, readers come together in Reading Quest to discuss and complete activities related to the story. 92 Monterey County GIVES! 2026 mcgives.com EDUCATION & YOUTH DONATE ONLINE MCGIVES.COM “Being a lifelong learner supports brain health and overall well-being.” -Dallas Harrison, OLLI GREENFIELD COMMUNITY SCIENCE WORKSHOP Year Founded: 2011 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 18 paid, 70 volunteers Budget: $550,000 (831) 540-9830 communityscienceworkshops.org BIG IDEA: The City of Greenfield’s experiment, turning a decommissioned police truck into a rolling science museum, has become a valued Big Idea for South Monterey County. The Greenfield Community Science Workshop now features more than 40 rotating, interactive exhibits made from recycled materials. These exhibits introduce concepts like electricity, fluid dynamics and lasers. Outside of the Workshop, students experiment with water rockets and atmospheric pressure. Donations help sustain this yearround effort, reaching 6,600 students in 330 enrichment sessions each year. “The Greenfield Community Science Workshop has become an invaluable partner in enriching science education throughout our district. Their commitment to providing hands-on, engaging learning experiences gives every TK-8 student the opportunity to explore, question and discover through science. They make science exciting, accessible and meaningful for all learners. Their team inspires curiosity, builds confidence and helps students see themselves as scientists. The positive impact of this partnership extends beyond the classroom, creating memorable experiences that spark a lifelong love of learning.” -Adria Gillespie, Greenfield Union School District science coach SPOTLIGHT
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==