Friends of Fonde Park is a local 501 c 3 Nonprofit founded by Fonde Civic Club president, board member Karina Yonekawa-Blest in 2024 with the help of Fonde Civic Club board members Molly Salazar and John Lunstroth. FOFP collaborates heavily with Fonde Civic Club and focuses mostly on SN 69 residents near Fonde Park.
You can find out more at; friendsoffondepark.org
Welcome to Friends of Fonde Park!
Our mission is to actively preserve and improve Fonde Park while engaging and empowering our community in the stewardship, preservation and utilization of our public park, ensuring that it remains a treasured space that aligns with the original vision of our founder, Corinne Fonde.
Corinne's motto of Recreation as Civic Engagement informs our mission. We are dedicated to fostering a collaborative environment that prioritizes the community's needs and desires in a holistic way. We envision Fonde Park to be a place where stakeholders can enjoy recreation and become more civically engaged as visionary Corinne Fonde taught us. Through park improvement, advocacy, and stewardship, we aim to create a sustainable future for our park, enhancing its role as a vital resource for all.
Our mission is centered on:
Ensuring Accessibility: Maintaining Fonde Park as an open and accessible space for all members of our community.
Community Preservation: Preserving the park as a crucial resource for neighborhood residents and the broader public, particularly within Super Neighborhood 69 and beyond.
Resource Stewardship: Maintaining, enhancing, and protecting the park's natural resources and facilities, while promoting safety standards.
Historical Preservation: Honoring the legacy of Corinne Fonde, a dedicated educator and social activist, and recognizing the park's historical significance.
Collaborative Partnerships: Working alongside Harris County, the City of Houston, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, the Houston Parks Board, and other local partners to provide educational and recreational outreach, and to support holistic wellness initiatives.
We are currently engaged in several key projects, including the creation of a park master plan, playground renovations, Fonde Fit fitness programing and more.
Current Projects:
Rice Long Distance Club & Fonde Fit Collaboration
We are excited to announce that we have been awarded $4500 for our Fonde Fit and Rice Long Distance Club Collaboration. The goal is to survey the neighborhood to find out more about our fitness needs and preferred programming. Our Running Club collab is being launched on Saturday, August 30th, 2025. Join us at our inaugural 5k/1k Walk or Run. Register at: https://tinyurl.com/fondefunrun
CIP Park Planning
Friends of Fonde Park is working alongside the Fonde Civic Club to steward the improvements of Fonde Park. The Fonde Civic Club was awarded $30,000 in a CIP grant from Precinct 2. Board member Molly Salazar has been hard at work following up with Jorge Bustamante PE about hiring a firm to make the park plans.
Fonde Park Playground Update
Council Member Martinez and Houston Park's Department director Lisa announced during our last park meeting that they have allocated $300,000 for Fonde Park playground improvement.
Letters of Support and Appreciation
LOS_Friends of Fonde Park.pdf