Our relationship with the Portola goes back to our beginnings in 1966.
Land Acknowledgement
At SFS, we acknowledge that the Yelamu Ramaytush Ohlone are the original stewards of this land who cared for all life human, plant, and animal as their own.
The Ramaytush Ohlone have never ceded their land; nor have they forgotten their responsibilities, and even though they were denied federal recognition, they continue to show resilience and strength by keeping their culture and traditions alive to this day.
Just south of Noe Valley, Glen Park, and Bernal Heights, the Portola is a diverse, family-oriented neighborhood. Also known as the Garden District, it was once home to greenhouses for growing flowers in the early 1900s. Waves of immigrants, including Italians, Maltese, Jews, Greeks, African Americans, Filipinos, Chinese, and Latinx have settled in the Portola. Shaped by this global migration, the neighborhood’s one square mile contains houses, churches, and lively San Bruno Avenue with its variety of stores and restaurants. The Portola also boasts the expansive green spaces of San Francisco’s second largest park, McLaren Park. It is easily accessible from Routes 101 and 280 as well as Alemany and Bayshore Boulevards.
We are proud to be an active and supportive member of the Portola community. Past and current initiatives include:
- Portola Neighborhood Association and Garden Club projects
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- The Green Between and monthly volunteer days
- The annual Portola Garden Tour
- Community events including Bloom Shboom, Autumn Moon Festival
- Regular neighborhood cleanups with Refuse Refuse SF and the Portola Neighborhood Association
- Monthly Excelsior Community Food Pantry volunteers by buddy grades
- Adventure Playground on Community Days when children engage in open-ended play using “loose parts”
- Portola Family Connections partnerships and service learning
- Food delivery, toy/clothing drives for SFUSD’s Hillcrest, ER Taylor, and Paul Revere Elementary Schools
- Art exhibits at the SFPL Portola Branch and local businesses
- SFMOMA’s 2022 Soapbox Derby at McLaren Park volunteers
- Election Day polling place for the City of San Francisco
- NERT Training Center
- Volunteers at clothing drives at Christ for All Nations Lutheran Church with Urban Angels SF
- Volunteering with Alemany Farm and Friends of the Urban Forest
- SFDPW cleanup of Bowdoin Street lot
- Participating in the Alemany Island Beautification Project
- Portola Gardens at University Mound visits and concerts