Lighting the Future

Christmas in the Park's Community Investment Campaign

For 45 years, Christmas in the Park has been more than a holiday tradition — it's been the heartbeat of San José. Over one million guests walk through our gates every season. Now, we're channeling that community energy into something permanent.

Lighting the Future is a $10 million community investment campaign to build a first-of-its-kind STEAM workforce pipeline for underserved youth — from high school internships to college scholarships to post-graduate fellowships.

Where Your Investment Goes

Every dollar is allocated with precision. Here's how we invest in our community:

STEAM Community Investment Allocation — $1,000,000

💼 Workforce Development — $350,000 (35%)

Intern Salaries ($250,000): 20 paid interns representing all 10 San José council districts — 8–16 hours/week of hands-on professional development in fabrication, engineering, and event production.
Program Management ($100,000): Dedicated Program Director plus growth allocation for stable, experienced leadership over the full 10-year commitment.

🎓 Education & Innovation — $250,000 (25%)

SJSU Scholarships ($100,000): Launching Spring 2027 — the inaugural cohort of 5 STEAM scholarship recipients at San José State University.
Endowment Fund ($150,000): Seed capital supporting SJSU graduates through post-college fellowships, keeping homegrown talent in San José.

🏗️ Infrastructure & Operations — $250,000 (25%)

Operations & Equipment ($250,000): Modernizing a 45-year-old production facility — upgraded machinery, sustainable materials, and year-round operational capacity.

🛡️ Strategic Reserve & Outreach — $150,000 (15%)

Strategic Reserve ($100,000): Contingency fund ensuring uninterrupted program delivery across all phases.
Marketing & Outreach ($50,000): AI-augmented recruitment reaching San José's highest-need communities.

The Pipeline: 10 Years of Mentorship

This isn't a one-time program. It's a decade-long commitment.

Paid High School Internships — Real work, real pay, real skills
Free Accreditations & Certificates — Industry-recognized STEAM credentials
SJSU Scholarships — Full support through higher education
Post-College Fellowships — Two-year paid positions keeping talent local
10 Years of Mentorship — From first internship through career launch

Why Now?

Christmas in the Park generates over $20 million in economic impact annually. We have the infrastructure, the community trust, and the operational capacity to turn a beloved tradition into a transformative workforce engine.

The question isn't whether this should happen. It's whether we build it now — while the momentum is here.

Christmas in the Park · Founded 1980 · 45+ Years · 1M+ Annual Guests
501(c)(3) Nonprofit · EIN: 77-0046955
San José, CA · christmasinthepark.com

Every contribution — whether $25 or $25,000 — accelerates the timeline.
This is being built. The only variable is how fast.

Lighting the Future

The tradition you love needs you. Help us light the way for the next generation.

Team Members