The Tuesday after Thanksgiving has become known globally as #GivingTuesday, a time to give to your favorite community groups, nonprofits, and other organizations working to create positive change in the world. This year, we would like to ask you, our amazing community, to once again assist us in furthering our mission to protect and preserve the California state park system, for the benefit of all. This year for #GivingTuesday, we are raising funds to protect the western monarch butterfly, as well as all our programs to support California state parks. 

1. Contribute to our western monarch conservation campaign 

California state parks manage a disproportionate area of western monarch overwintering sites across the state. These sites are unique and extremely specific for western monarchs and cannot be replaced. For this reason, it is imperative that the sites are managed and enhanced, especially since recent years have seen an extreme decline in the population of western monarchs. In 2020, the population was estimated to be 0.01% of its original size. The last two years have seen an increase, but we must continue to make sure the sites remain suitable for monarch habitation. California State Parks Foundation helps fund grove management plans, hostsed volunteer workdays, and advocates for policy in Sacramento that helps western monarchs. Your #GivingTuesday contribution is the most straightforward way to support us and our western monarch program this year and into the future. 

2. Sign up for a volunteer workday 

We understand that not everyone is in a position financially to contribute to our work this #GivingTuesday. You can also contribute your time by signing up for a volunteer workday. Our dedicated volunteers put in thousands of hours each year helping with trail restoration, invasive plant removal, and native plant placement to preserve and enhance state parks.  

3. Follow along and engage with our social media accounts 

Another way you can contribute to our work on #GivingTuesday is following along and engaging with us on our social media channels. We’ve created a social media toolkit which you can use on #GivingTuesday to interact with us. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Throughout the day we will be posting and you can help us extend our reach by liking, replying, or reposting us.  

4. Make a purchase in our online store 

With the holidays coming up, you can help parks and get some amazing gifts for yourself or your loved ones. Our recently restocked store has some exclusive items that won’t last long! You’ll be the talk of the town with your new “Save the Monarchs” shirt while keeping your coffee hot in our California State Parks Foundation Klean Kanteen. The proceeds from our store go directly to funding our many programs. For a limited time, you can get 20% off your order from Black Friday until midnight on Cyber Monday by using the code MONARCHS2022. 

We rely on your support  to ensure that our state parks are adequately funded and preserved, for the benefit of all. Whatever you can do to help this #GivingTuesday, we are grateful.