San Francisco is an international cultural destination, providing a rich diversity of artistic and cultural experiences to residents and visitors alike.  The San Francisco Arts Commission works to support the arts in our city by maintaining and enhancing the city’s art collection, providing grants and other services to artists and art organizations, promoting art in our schools and arts programs for youths and more.  Now the Commission is asking you: what matters most about the arts in San Francisco?  Take the SFAC Survey: Share Your Priorities.  Do you work in the arts? Support the arts? Enjoy the arts in San Francisco? Read more »

On Monday, May 14, in New York City’s Times Square, Yahoo and Global Green USA, launched the “Be a Better Planet” challenge to find America’s Greenest City.  This nationwide challenge is taking place between May 14 and June 8 – the winning city not only gets all the glory, but they get a fleet of ten hybrid taxi cabs.  Of course, San Francisco should be the natural winner of this competition, but to make this happen, we need you to Act Locally today.

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In case you missed it, the City Controller's office released a report on Friday, which found that free WiFi will save San Franciscans an estimated $9 to $18 million a year, because of increased competition.  Free WiFi would also help bridge the digital divide and "incorporate low-income and disadvantaged populations into the economic mainstream," the Controller's report found.  But to make sure free WiFi becomes a reality we need you to Act Locally today.  Join us today for a rally on the steps of City Hall at 1PM, on the Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place side.  Then come testify at the special WiFi hearing at 2PM. Read more »

How do 2300 phone numbers for city services become one?  311 is here. If you look back to Gavin Newsom’s first campaign for Mayor, you will see that he talked about giving San Francisco something that many other cities already have – a 311 service. Pioneered in places like New York and Baltimore, 311 replaces all of the phone numbers that the public calls (yes there are more than 2300 of them) for non emergency services -- like cleaning up your park or finding out when the next MUNI bus is coming -- with just one. Read more »

Show your support for the plan to provide free WiFi in San Francisco through a public/private partnership with Google and Earthlink. Let everyone know you want your free WiFi. You can also back the plan to bring a community court to Union Square to address quality of life concerns. So, make your voice heard. Sign our online petitions today on our brand new petitions page! Read more »

Matt Tuchow writes that foster kids graduating out of foster care are at great risk of homelessness, incarceration, teen pregnancy, and drug addiction. Larkin Street Youth Services is a model organization providing critical services to these and other youth who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Act today to give an hour, an afternoon, or a day to enrich the lives of San Francisco’s most vulnerable youth. Read more »

By  Zoë Caron
Sierra Youth Coalition of Canada

Sometimes it's hard to realize that you are on the verge of something. Often it's difficult to understand that you are balancing on the edge. And most of the time it's hard to predict that one specific issue will define a period in your lifetime. But today – as an avid student politician and youth environmentalist – these are all clear to me: climate change is quickly becoming, and will be, the defining issue of our generation.  Read more »

Indulge your inner techno-geek and get involved with one of the many local organizations working to bridge the digital divide in San Francisco. It’s about a lot more than WiFi – like providing basic education and training to help our underserved communities reap the benefits of technology that many San Franciscans take for granted. Our thanks to The Media Alliance for providing this resource of groups who are acting locally and changing the world: Read more »

Give a day to Project Homeless Connect a bi-monthly event where over 1,500 volunteers help provide health and human services to the 2,000 homeless San Franciscans that attend. Started in San Francisco in October 2004, PHC is already changing the world by creating lasting solutions to homelessness in 32 cities across the United States. As the San Francisco Examiner's Ken Garcia writes, "It's impressive. Its inspiring. Its big. Read more »