SLIDE RANCH ANNUAL REPORT 2013 & 2012 1 CONTENTS 3 MISSION 5 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LETTER 7 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS 9 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS 14 TEACHERS-IN-RESIDENCE 15 SCHOOLS SERVED 16 COMMUNITY GROUPS 17 VOLUNTEER GROUPS 18 HARVEST REPORT 19 ANIMAL REPORT 20 DONORS 2013 24 DONORS 2012 28 IN-KIND DONORS 2013 & 2012 29 FINANCIALS 2013 31 FINANCIALS 2012 32 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OUR MISSION SLIDE RANCH IS DEDICATED TO PLANTING KIDS IN NATURE. By connecting children to nature through exploration and farming, we cultivate healthy bodies and minds and foster future generations of environmental stewards. 3 Slide Ranch Annual Report 2013 & 2012 “It was a new experience for me to be on a farm, and the trip makes me think that there is a lot out in the world for me to see.” – LETTER FROM AARON, 5TH GRADE STUDENT 4 Dear Friends On behalf of everyone at Slide Ranch, I want to thank all of our supporters for sustaining us during this time of transition. Since becoming Executive Director in September 2012, I have relished the opportunity to continue the work of this beloved organization that has been planting kids in nature since 1970. There have been many memorable moments for me in these two years. I am inspired by every child that comes to experience Slide Ranch, whether they are seeing the ocean for the first time or playing in the Fennel Forest for the tenth time. Additional highlights included witnessing my first goat kid birth alongside 7th graders from Martin Luther King Jr Academy of Marin City, hosting a film crew for Disney’s Pass the Plate TV series, and bringing Slide Ranch into the digital age with our new website, online registration and e-news. Thanks to generous contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations, along with the revenue we earned from summer camps and family programs, 2012 and 2013 were fiscally stable years. This support helped us provide programs to many groups who would otherwise have no opportunities for nature-based learning. In 2013, half of our 8,000 visitors were youth groups that participated in our School and Community programs, and over 50% of those were from underserved communities. Looking ahead, I have two primary goals: (1) to increase access to Slide Ranch for more kids and families from throughout the Bay Area and (2) to lead an urgent and comprehensive transformation of our campus - a planning process we started in 2013 and one which we will solidify in 2014. Thank you for giving thousands of children a chance to connect with animals and nature and to learn about sustainable farming and environmental stewardship. I hope you will come visit us at Slide Ranch soon. With your help, we are cultivating a forward-thinking and legacy-building future for Slide Ranch. Sincerely, 5 INSPIRING CARE & CONSERVATION SLIDE RANCH PROVIDES“Type FOUR a quote MAIN here.”AREAS OF PROGRAMMING: ! • Educational day and overnight field trips for schools and community youth groups • Special events and programs aimed at engaging the whole family • Summer day camps for children ages 5-14 • Teacher-in-Residence internship program for environmental educators VISITORS & PROGRAMS 2013 SCHOOL & COMMUNITY PROGRAMS (BY COUNTY): San Francisco 1,445 38% Marin 1,245 33% Alameda & Contra Costa 771 21% Other 293 8% ! PROGRAM TYPE: School & Community Groups 3,860 48% Family Programs 950 12% Community Events 1,400 17% Summer Day Camps 581 7% Visitors & Volunteers 1,300 16% ! ! 7 Slide Ranch Annual Report 2013 & 2012 VISITORS & PROGRAMS 2012 SCHOOL & COMMUNITY PROGRAMS (BY COUNTY): San Francisco 1,472 41% Marin 1,122 32% Alameda & Contra Costa 910 26% Other 49 1% ! PROGRAM TYPE: School & Community Groups 3,553 49% Family Programs 1,025 14% Community Events 1,200 16% Summer Day Camps 548 7% Visitors & Volunteers 1,000 14% ! 8 Slide Ranch Annual Report 2013 & 2012 BAYVIEW LIVE 2013 Bayview Live provides support to students from the Bayview / Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco and helps them graduate from high school with good grades, gain work experience, choose healthy lifestyles and build self-confidence. A visit to Slide Ranch could not have come at a better time for these students who are working with SF General Hospital physicians to develop a student-run food truck with the dual goals of bringing healthy, delicious food options into their community and creating jobs for teens. On a beautiful and sunny day in November in 2013, I had the pleasure of introducing these students to Slide Ranch and a whole new perspective on where food comes from. As a group, we milked goats, hiked coastal trails, learned about organic farming methods by building compost, observed bee hives and cooked an especially tasty stir-fry using fresh greens harvested right from the garden! The students were eager to learn and this experience encouraged me as a teacher. (WRITTEN BY M.T. "SEA TURTLE" PEREIRA- BARROS, TEACHER-IN-RESIDENCE 2013.) AIM HIGH 2013 During four weeks in July 2013, rising ninth graders from the Aim High summer school program came to Slide Ranch as part of an environmental week that included hiking, habitat restoration, and self-reflection, as well as lessons in ecology and stewardship. While at Slide Ranch these students, many who had little experience with the outdoors, had the opportunity to feed and milk goats, thresh wheat, create fire without matches, and much more. They learned about stewardship of our national parks through habitat restoration work, and they were taught about stewardship of the land and of the self through lessons led by Slide Ranch staff. They also camped overnight at Slide’s dome campsite, which included learning how to set up a tent, cooking dinner and breakfast together, and participating in a nighttime program with a campfire and a night hike. Also in summer 2013, Slide Ranch was honored to partner with other Bay Area organizations to provide overnight environmental education opportunities to youth who otherwise wouldn’t have the chance. Thank you Home Away from Homelessness, Golden Gate Parks Conservancy LINC program, Girl Ventures, and Old Skool Café for making the trek out to our farm! OLD SKOOL PHOTOGRAPHED AT THE TIDE POOLS 10 Slide Ranch Annual Report 2013 & 2012 AT SLIDE RANCH IN 2013 "It was a pleasure to meet representatives of other Bay Area organizations sharing similar goals of education and self-reflection through this summer's partnership between Slide Ranch and Aim High. It offered a unique opportunity to share my appreciation for sustainability, stewardship and the goals of Slide Ranch with an older age group." -SUMMER TEACHER-IN-RESIDENCE OTIS WORTLEY ON WORKING WITH AIM HIGH DISNEY’S PASS THE PLATE Slide Ranch made its television debut in October 2013 with a featured role in the Disney Channel’s Pass the Plate series. Pass the Plate inspires kids and preteens to lead healthier lifestyles by introducing them to healthy food, cooking and sustainable farming. Disney spent nearly a week at Slide Ranch filming staff with Disney stars, Peyton List and Karan Brar. They spent long hours working in our garden, milking goats, exploring the tide pools and learning the lessons we teach every day to children in our school and community programs and summer camps. The response to Pass the Plate from Slide Ranch friends was outstanding, and our programming was introduced to fans from across the country. Maddie, a seven year old visiting the San Francisco Bay Area from her home in Tennessee, for medical treatment, insisted her mom bring her to Slide Ranch for an afternoon. After a hard visit of testing and examinations, Maddie was delighted and rejuvenated by her experiences at Slide Ranch. We were honored to be chosen by Disney to represent the best of farm-to-table education. A day at Slide Ranch is truly transformative and with Pass the Plate, millions of lives may be touched. 12 Slide Ranch Annual Report 2013 & 2012 SILVER TROWEL 2013 Every October, Slide Ranch hosts the Silver Trowel Award & Fundraising Dinner, a fundraising event honoring an individual who best embodies the spirit and mission of Slide Ranch. Slide Ranch was proud to honor L. Martin (Marty) Griffin, MD, with the 2013 Silver Trowel Award. In 2013, Slide Ranch was honored to serve a delicious meal prepared by Chef Larry Forgione and The Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley. Chef Forgione, a forefather of the “Farm-to-Table” movement is hailed as “the godfather” of American cuisine. With seasonal ingredients harvested from Slide Ranch and donated by local farmers and food producers, Chef Forgione created an incredible menu for our guests. One highlight was the goat milk caramel sauce prepared with milk from our own goats with local poached pears. Thank you to all the chefs, farmers and food producers who donated their time, food and services to make this event a great success. Our generous event guests also helped raise $106,000 to benefit Slide Ranch’s education programs and provide field-trip subsidies for low-income students and schools. SLIDE RANCH FOUNDER DOUG FERGUSON WITH HONOREE L. MARTIN (MARTY) GRIFFIN, MD. PHOTO CREDIT: RON M. STEINAU TEACHERS-IN-RESIDENCE ! Slide Ranch’s Teacher-in-Residence (TIR) Program develops and inspires environmental educators and prepares them for meaningful careers in the fields of education, sustainable agriculture, and environmental service. Each year we select seven educators to participate in a 10.5 month residential teaching internship, with three additional TIRs selected for summer. Thank you to all the teachers for their dedication and enthusiasm. 2012: XOCHI BATLLE, AMELEA