Priority Area: Neighborhood and Built Environment

George’s Pass

In 2019, the Fresno Chaffee Zoo became the first community organization outside of Valley Children’s Healthcare to start utilizing George’s Pass – a program aimed at easing the anxiety of a potentially stressful environment for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and special needs. Valley Children’s partnered with the Fresno Chaffee Zoo and Fresno State in an effort to make the Zoo’s family-friendly environment even more accessible to all guests. These efforts led the Fresno Chaffee Zoo to become a certified Pal Place. This certification assists families in preparing for their zoo trip in advance, opens discussion about anything they would like to see or do before coming and helps identify potentially sensory sensitive areas. The Fresno Chaffee Zoo is the first zoo location in the United States to become a Pal Experiences “Pal Place.”

Learn more about George’s Pass.

Safe Routes to School

Safe Routes to School is a movement that aims to make it safer and easier for students to walk and bike to school. Safe Routes to School street improvements address problems such as broken or missing sidewalks, faded crosswalks and lack of safe bike lanes. In collaboration with our Injury Prevention team, the Guilds Center for Community Health has participated in and supported “Walk to School” events. Research shows that one mile of walking translates to two thirds of the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Studies also show that there are links between physical activity and academic achievement.