2023
A YEAR OF MAGIC IN REVIEW
MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION — 2023: A YEAR OF MAGIC IN REVIEW | 1
“Inclusion Means Everyone.” — OLENKA VILLARREAL, FOUNDER AND CEO MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION
Magical Bridge Foundation thanks the many friends, families, volunteers, donors, industry leaders, and community partners for their contributions in making 2023 a magical year of growth, opportunity, community building, and kindness. Please enjoy this reflective photobook of the Foundation’s projects, programs, and advocacy work throughout the year. The highlights and accomplishments are shared across all who support Magical Bridge Playgrounds and the communities they serve. Here’s to continuing to thoughtfully design our way to a kinder and more inclusive world in 2024 and beyond!
2 | MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION — 2023: A YEAR OF MAGIC IN REVIEW
CONTENTS 2
Welcome
4
Project Highlights
6
Program Highlights
8
2023 at a Glance
10
Media, Awards, and Recognition
11
Magical Visitors
12
The Team at Work
13
Magical Partners
14
A Vision for the Future
15
The Team and About Magical Bridge
MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION — 2023: A YEAR OF MAGIC IN REVIEW | 3
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
4
BAY AREA CALIFORNIA PUBLIC PLAYGROUNDS
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INTERNATIONAL PLAYGROUND AND FIRST LICENSE AGREEMENT PROJECT
PLAYGROUNDS UNDER DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION • Central Park, Santa Clara, CA
• Mitchell Park, Palo Alto • Red Morton Park, Redwood City
Claudelands Park,
• Fair Oaks Park, Sunnyvale
Hamilton, New Zealand
• Community Park, Morgan Hill
Opened December 2023
• Rengstorff Park, Mtn View, CA • Sun Park Plaza, Singapore • Hillside Park, Daly City, CA • Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle School, East Palo Alto, CA • Singapore National Museum PENGUIN SLIDE ZONE 1 Shade Structure 2 Roller Slide 3 Double Wide Group Slide
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48
4 Rope Climber 5 ArtificialTurf Surfacing
HABITAT GARDEN
ELEPHANT TOT ZONE 7 Tot Slide 8 Metal Arches 9 Toddler Climber
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INNOVATION ZONE
OSTRICH SPIN ZONE
11 Inclusive Spinner 12 Rope Tower Climber
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KINDNESS CORNER
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INNOVATION ZONE
10 Innovation Arch
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16 Boulder with Button-Activated Bubbler 17 Hand Pump (x2) 18 Boulder Seat with Transfer
19 36
PLAYHOUSE
ELEPHANT TOT ZONE
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30
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25
31
GATHERING AREA
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CHIMPANZEE SWING ZONE
22 Traditional Belt Swings
Octopus Garden - Sensory
1
23 Inclusive Swings 24 Nest Swing 25 Glider
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GATHERING AREA
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26 Elevated Wood Deck Path 27 Elevated Viewing Platform 28 Treehouse Picnic Fort 29 Covered Picnic Shelters
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51 45 Proposed Tree, Typ. 46 Perimeter Fencing 47 Cafe Cart 48 Existing Asphalt Path 49 Planting Area 50 Concrete Steps 51 Potential Elevator Site 52 Exercise Station
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PENGUIN SLIDE ZONE
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30
1
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2
2
SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS
1
SPECIALTY PLAYGROUND
PROJECTS IN PHASE I EXPLORATION
Palo Alto, CA:
CuriOdyssey Museum,
• Maryland Zoo, Baltimore, MD
• Addison Elementary School • El Carmelo Elementary School
San Mateo, CA
34 Ava’s Bridge 35 Entrance Arch 36 Accessible Concrete Path 37 Informative / Educational Signage 38 Musical Instruments 53 Concrete Plinth Sign (x7) 39 Willow Tunnel 40 Animal Sensory Wall 41 Concrete Seat Wall 42 Concrete Curb 43 Retaining Wall w/ Messaging & Perimeter Fence 44 Existing Tree, Typ.
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3
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SITE FEATURES
30 Safety Use Zone 31 Hideaway Hut 32 Animal Sculpture 33 Poured in Place Rubber Surface
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Maryland Zoo Playground Baltimore, MD
0’
10’
September 25, 2023
• Foothill College (Learning Lab), Los Altos Hills, CA • Little People’s Park, Portola Valley • Newark, CA
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24 33
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19 Zoology Playhouse 20 Log Benches 21 Binded Wood Chip Surface
CHIMPANZEE SWING ZONE
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29
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WATERING HOLE
GATHERING AREA 36
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11
HABITAT GARDEN
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PLAYHOUSE
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13 Kindess to Animals Signage 14 Kindness and Mirror Frames
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OSTRICH SPIN ZONE
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14
KINDNESS CORNER
15 Habitat Houses - i.e. Birdhouses, Insect Hotels
WATERING HOLE
34
20’
N
New Zealand project lead Peter van Vroonhoven and friends at the grand opening of the first international and first fully licensed Magical Bridge Playground in Claudelands Park in Hamilton, New Zealand.
Founder Olenka Villarreal speaks at the ground breaking of Magical Bridge Playground at Rengstorff Park in Mountain View.
Daly City Manager Tom Piccolotti, Mayor Juslyn Manalo and County Supervisor David Canapa visit Palo Alto to celebrate bringing Magical Bridge Playground to Daly City.
Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian cuts the ribbon at the grand opening of Magical Bridge Playground at El Carmelo Elementary School in Palo Alto, CA.
Construction is well underway at Magical Bridge Playground in Central Park, Santa Clara with its opening slated for Spring 2024. MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION — 2023: A YEAR OF MAGIC IN REVIEW | 5
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Over 240 Kindness Ambassadors of all ages and abilities have logged an estimated 2650 volunteer hours activating and engaging with the community all year round — on and off the playground. Thank you, volunteers!
44 MUSIC CONCERTS
on Palo Alto, Redwood City, Sunnyvale, and Morgan Hill Playstages
6 FUNDRAISERS
benefiting Magical Bridge, Ukraine, Autism Society, and more
9 PARADES AND FESTIVALS
Santa Clara Parade of Champions, Day of the Dead Celebration and Magical Holiday in Morgan Hill, Art Heals Day in Redwood City, Celebrate Autism in San Jose, San Mateo Inclusion Festival, BraveMaker Festival, Palo Alto Art Center Family Day, Palo Alto Volunteer Fair
18 PERFORMANCES AND STORYTIMES
Magicians, Librarians, Bubbles, Zumba, Drums, Animal Adventures, Face painting, Sing-a-longs, and Balloon Twisting
1 US PRESIDENTIAL AWARD
for high school student Chloe Geist for 100 volunteer hours as a Magical Bridge Kindness Ambassador
7 SERVICE DOG VISITS
4 CULTURAL EVENTS
Day of the Dead Celebration in Morgan Hill, Bollywood Dance in Redwood City, Spanish through Fun and Cascada de Flores Song in Redwood City
1 TENNIS CAMP
hosted by teen Kindness Ambassadors for Neurodiverse participants
4 SENIOR CENTER VISITS
to help out and perform at East Palo Alto Senior Center
5 MAGICAL SERIES THEATER PERFORMANCES
Palo Alto Players, Palo Alto Children’s Theater, and Casa Circulo Cultural Youth Drama Group
2 MAGICAL BRIDGE KINDNESS CLUBS IN HIGH SCHOOLS Los Altos High School, Gunn High School in Palo Alto
4 MAGICAL DAY PROGRAM SUMMER CAMP WEEKS created for teens with disabilities
hosted by Canine Companions
6 CONFERENCES AND SUMMITS 34 ART AND STEM ACTIVITIES including Maia the Artist, Youth for Innovation and National Charity League STEM activities, Casa Circulo Cultural Mobile Art Classes, CuriOdyssey Sensory Sunday activities, “Sending Kindness” community postcards, Youth Action Council Activities
6 | MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION — 2023: A YEAR OF MAGIC IN REVIEW
Remarkable Conference, Silicon Valley Social Entrepreneur Camp’s Tech for Good Summit, Stanford Assistive Technology Course, Inclusive Design 24, All-American Cities with Redwood City, Life Services Alternatives I/DD Topics and Trends
MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION — 2023: A YEAR OF MAGIC IN REVIEW | 7
2023 AT A GLANCE
Last year, Magical Bridge Foundation focused on growth, innovation, team-building, and community impact. The Foundation celebrated the ground-breaking of two Bay Area playgrounds, the opening of Magical Bridge’s first international playground, and installation of a second schoolyard solution. The team welcomed visitors from around the world and continued to explore ways to effectively bring Magical Bridge to more communities. Kindness Ambassadors hosted lively activities and performances on and off the playground. A few highlights are below.
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
A year of magic kicks off with Nancy Cassidy on stage at Magical Bridge Playground in Palo Alto.
A team of students and staff from Pinewood School in Los Altos visits Magical Bridge to explore inclusive playground design.
Magical Bridge Kindness Ambassadors host a craft table at the Palo Alto Player’s “Magical Series” inclusive performance.
The City of Santa Clara hosts a ground breaking ceremony for the new Magical Bridge Playground in Central Park.
8 | MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION — 2023: A YEAR OF MAGIC IN REVIEW
Magical Bridge Foundation hosts an advisory offsite retreat to brainstorm ideas for future playgrounds and parks.
The Summer Concert Series in Palo Alto begins with a performance by the “Angels on Stage” vocal group hosted by Kindness Ambassador volunteers.
MISSION
Innovating multigenerational playgrounds, parks, and programs for more inclusive communities.
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Magical Bridge Foundation sponsors BraveMaker Festival in Redwood City with an outdoor screening of “Into the Spotlight.”
Magical Bridge joins City and County officials to celebrate the grand opening of Magical Bridge Playground at El Carmelo School Playground in Palo Alto.
The Magical Day Program returns with a four-week action-packed summer camp for older teens with disabilities.
The City of Mountain View hosts a ground breaking ceremony for the new Magical Bridge Playground in Rengstorff Park.
Magical Bridge Foundation joins the Social Entrepreneur Base Camp to explore “Tech for Good” solutions for inclusive programs.
The first international Magical Bridge Playground opens in Claudelands Park in Hamilton, New Zealand.
MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION — 2023: A YEAR OF MAGIC IN REVIEW | 9
MEDIA, AWARDS, AND RECOGNITION San Andreas Regional Center 2023 Community Resource of the Year Service Above Self Awards Dinner
Anthem Awards Non-Profit: Inclusive Community Space Official winners announced January 30, 2024
FINALIST
Redwood City: All-American City National Civic League
MERCH AVAILABLE ONLINE Celebrate kindness and inclusion with unique Magical Bridge apparel and accessories. Your purchase supports Magical Bridge Foundation programs and future projects. Visit magicalbridge.org and click store.
10 | MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION — 2023: A YEAR OF MAGIC IN REVIEW
Magical Bridge Featured on ABC Channel 7 “Localish”
MAGICAL VISITORS
This year, Magical Bridge welcomed many exceptional, curious, and kind visitors from around the world — from students exploring inclusive design to city officials interested in bringing Magical Bridge Playground to their community to foundations looking to support inclusive community spaces. Email Play4All@magicalbridge.org to arrange your visit in 2024.
Friends from The Bridge School in Hillsborough celebrate student Sammy’s birthday in Redwood City. A very special group from South San Francisco’s Parks and Recreation team toured the playgrounds in August. Playhouse builder Barbara Butler joined to show them around.
Elizabeth Gomez and Black Bear Mosaics enhance Redwood City’s Tot Zone with a beautiful turtle mosaic.
The Morgridge Family Foundation and East Denver Parks District visits Magical Bridge.
Led by science teacher Cindy Rodenbaugh, Sonoma Country Day School visited to explore inclusive design.
Peter van Vroonhoven from Magical Bridge Trust, New Zealand, visits.
Friends from Trust Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand tour the playground with former Palo Alto Mayor Karen Holman.
Playground designer Raje Kulkarni and Olenka met with Vidhya Bhojan to bring Magical Bridge to Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, India.
MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION — 2023: A YEAR OF MAGIC IN REVIEW | 11
THE TEAM AT WORK
MAGICAL BRIDGE COMMUNITY REACH
9
21
Full or Part-time Team Members
Board of Directors and Advisors
2800+ 16,900 34,200 Donors Across All Projects
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Social Media Followers
Unique Website Visitors
PARTNERS IN MAGIC
Barbara Butler Artist-Builder, Inc. designs and builds all of the wood structures in Magical Bridge Playgrounds, including the Playhouse and Stage, Ava’s Bridge, Benches, and Hideaway Huts.
Learning Landscapes, LLC provides expertise and support in designing and imagining Magical Bridge Playground projects with a keen focus on sustainability and natural playscapes.
Magical Bridge Boardmember and Global Accessibility Lead at Intuit, Ted Drake, has championed accessibility for decades and has created over 1,200 Accessibility Champions around the world. He recently represented Magical Bridge at the grand opening of the first international Magical Bridge Playground in New Zealand. Ted is truly a magic maker.
Leland Levy, former Palo Alto Mayor and Senior VP-Investments at Wells Fargo Advisors, has served on the Magical Bridge Board of Directors since inception. His generosity, advice, and creativity have been instrumental in bringing Magical Bridge Playgrounds to life. The Foundation is grateful to Le and his wife, Judy Huey, for their ongoing support and guidance.
ENLIGHT FOUNDATION
STECKLER FAMILY FUND MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION — 2023: A YEAR OF MAGIC IN REVIEW | 13
A VISION FOR THE FUTURE
PLAYGROUNDS AND PROGRAMS
DESIGN FOR EVERYONE One in four Americans are living with a disability and it’s important to note that only 10% of those are physically affected while 90% of disabilities are often “invisible” including sensory challenges and autism. Magical Bridge Playground considers all ages and abilities so everyone can play together.
COGNITIVE/ DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
PHYSICAL DISABILITIES
ALL ABILITIES ALL AGES ALL WELCOME
SOCIAL/ EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES
SENSORY CHALLENGES
AUTISM
PROGRAMS FOR EVERYONE Magical Bridge Playgrounds attract thousands of visitors every month. With a unifying message of kindness, the playgrounds bring the entire community together with inclusive activities, performances, and volunteer opportunities designed for the entire family — from toddlers to seniors — on and off the playground. ON THE PLAYGROUND
CONCERTS AND EVENTS
STORYTIME FOR ALL AGES
STEAM ACTIVITIES AND CRAFTS
KINDNESS AMBASSADOR VOLUNTEERS
FITNESS ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES
OFF THE PLAYGROUND
INCLUSIVE THEATER PERFORMANCES
SPORTS PROGRAMS FOR ALL ABILITIES
ART CLASSES FOR ALL ABILITIES
KINDNESS ADVOCACY AT CITY EVENTS
FITNESS CLASSES FOR ALL AGES
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THE TEAM Olenka Villarreal Chief Executive Officer and Founder Elaine Captain Chief Operations Officer Kris Loew Chief Marketing Officer Harriet Stern Curator of Community Kindness Rajeshwari Kulkarni Project Designer Cynthia Keene Community Engagement Manager Mimi Richart Finance and Accounting Manager Sydney Loew Graphic and Multimedia Designer Victoria Helmer Palo Alto Programs Coordinator Learning Landscape Design Playground and Landsacpe Architect Partners
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ian Bain Board Chair, Redwood City’s former Mayor and City Council Member from 2003-2020 Jill Asher Co-founder Magical Bridge Foundation Elaine Captain COO, Magical Bridge Foundation Ted Drake Global Accessibility Lead, Intuit eland Levy L Senior VP–Investments at Wells Fargo Advisors. Todd Parmacek Silicon Valley Finance Executive Melissa Rick Partner, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Joyce Jaffe Reynolds, Ph.D. Managing Director, GEO Group Strategic Services, LLC Amanda Steckler Philanthropist and Restaurateur Olenka Villarreal CEO and Founder, Magical Bridge Foundation
ABOUT MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION Magical Bridge Foundation, a non-profit organization headquartered in Palo Alto, California, creates multigenerational playgrounds, parks, and programs for more inclusive communities. Drawing from over a decade of research-driven innovation, Magical Bridge redefines inclusivity by uniquely exploring the intersection of universal design and community impact to produce outdoor spaces and programs that transcend both physical and social barriers. With eight award-winning playgrounds currently open and many more in development around the world, Magical Bridge proudly champions the vision that all ages and abilities deserve to benefit from the magic of play, community connections, and a sense of belonging. Through collaboration with cities, developers, and landscape architects, Magical Bridge extends the impact of its work to public parks, schools, zoos, and museums worldwide. In addition to a turnkey design-build model, licensing opportunities ensure the Magical Bridge brand, designs, and programs are catalysts for kinder and more inclusive societies everywhere. Magical Bridge invites you to join the movement toward a brighter future where all public spaces and programs reflect the diversity and unity of the people they serve — a world where inclusion means everyone. MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION — 2023: A YEAR OF MAGIC IN REVIEW | 15
MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION 959A Addison Street, Palo Alto, California 94301 magicalbridge.org • @magicalbridge • 650-538-2850 Magical Bridge Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Tax ID: #81-2377796 16 | MAGICAL BRIDGE FOUNDATION — 2023: A YEAR OF MAGIC IN REVIEW
Watch the latest Magical Bridge Foundation Overview Video