Neighborhood Parks Council plays a critical role in helping neighborhood and community activists preserve and improve our parks and playgrounds. When we started a few families in our neighborhood joined together to try to build a new, safe playground to serve the many children in our area, NPC helped us get started, identify goals, figure out where to look for funding and infrastructure support, raise money, manage our finances, navigate the City's agencies and processes, oversee the construction process, and make sure that both the process and end result would meet our community's needs. In doing so, NPC respected and supported the grassroots nature of our effort, and helped us to make the experience of building a brand new playground an empowering one. NPC knows how to navigate the City's halls of power, but is always willing to stand with grassroots parks activists to make sure our voices are heard. Even in tough budgetary times, NPC has made sure to protect, preserve, and improve San Francisco's parkland. It is indispensable for anyone who cares about quality city parks.