Mission District · San Francisco

Friends of Parque Niños Unidos

A neighbor-led effort to keep our beloved park clean, safe, and full of life.

23rd and Treat · website
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Sign up

2

Show up

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Pick up

Why we're doing this

Parque Niños Unidos is a neighborhood park where kids play, families gather, and neighbors unwind. We want to keep it clean and welcoming every single day.

When we keep our park clean, we signal to everyone who visits — and everyone who lives here — that this place is loved. Take care of a place, and pretty soon you're taking care of each other, too.

What you need

Picker Garbage bag 15 minutes

No picker? No problem — we got you!

What we're not

No big meetings, no red tape. You'll sign up — if life gets in the way, our volunteer chat helps you find a quick swap so the park's covered.

Count me in

The organizing team will follow up to help you claim your day(s) and get connected with the volunteer chat on WhatsApp.

You're in!

Check your inbox for a confirmation email — we'll be in touch soon.

Frequently asked

Isn't there already a program that does this?
Several wonderful organizations, including SF Rec & Parks and the SF Parks Alliance, run periodic organized cleanups — but they're occasional, not daily. Unfortunately our park needs much more frequent upkeep. This fills the gap.
Isn't this Parks & Rec's job?
Technically, sort of — their role is maintenance. The condition of our park requires much more than that right now. They do their best across 230+ parks citywide. This is our neighborhood and we are looking for collective pride in our public spaces to do a little something extra to make a big impact.
Is there a specific time I need to go?
Nope — go whenever works. Morning, after school pickup, evening walk. Any time helps.
What if I can't make my usual day?
No problem — just post in the volunteer chat and someone will hopefully pick up the slack. The whole point of the group is making sure the park's covered without anyone stressing solo. If we only cover six of the seven days of the week that's still making a big difference!
Can I bring my kids or friends?
Absolutely — the more the merrier. Kids love the picker. (though of course always monitor any little ones, there may be litter that's not safe for kids to handle)
I see something that needs city attention — what do I do?
Report it via the SF311 app or call 311. Don't handle hazardous material yourself.
How else can I help?
Spread the word in your street's group chat, to other parents at school pickup, wherever. We are also planning to get together informally now and then to build community among volunteers. If you want to get involved in a bigger way, fill out the form above or email friendsofsfparks@gmail.com.
Tell me more about this organizing team and how it came to be!
Hi, I'm Lauren, and I'm the organizing “team”. If you've seen a tall brunette chasing two toddlers while picking up trash at Niños Unidos — or walking two poodles around the Mission — that's me. My family lives across the street from the park, and I got tired of seeing so much trash where my kids play, so I started bringing a picker every time I went. It's not much effort, and it seemed like something that could easily become a team effort.