Bret Harte Community Association

Bret Harte is a beautiful, walkable residential neighborhood along the southern border of San Rafael in Marin County. The earliest homes date from the late 1930s. The neighborhood is tucked into the hillside with ample green space, tree-lined streets, and the secret bootleg trail. It features Bret Harte Park—the neighborhood's social center—and a diversity of families that call Bret Harte home.

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Latest News

Thank you for the 2021 Bret Harte Community Garage Sale!
Thanks to the over 20 households participating in this year's community garage sale, and to everyone else supporting the neighborhood (and maybe even finding a deal!).

Ongoing Bret Harte Fundraiser for the SF-Marin Food Bank

During this unprecedented crisis, the BHCA is fundraising to help those most in need through the SF-Marin Food Bank. We are continuing a campaign that has raised over $2,000 for the food bank from the Bret Harte Community.

Thank you in advance for your help and support in giving whatever you can and being a crucial part of this neighborhood fundraiser. Together we can lessen the impact of this ongoing crisis by helping the Food bank provide basic needs for those most affected:

With every dollar donated we can provide enough food for two healthy meals.
Before the COVID-19 crisis, one in five individuals in San Francisco and Marin was at risk of hunger; that number is growing daily.
Since the crisis began, more than one million Californians have filed for Unemployment benefits. Those numbers will only increase as the pandemic continues and those individuals will need our help to provide healthy food for themselves and their families.

Please donate today and help the Bret Harte community raise money for this crucial neighborhood resource.

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Ongoing Programs

Become a "Street Angel" for Bret Harte
San Rafael Vice Mayor Kate Colin put together a great neighbor-to-neighbor toolkit that neighborhoods throughout San Rafael are using to help connect neighbors who need help with those that can provide. This project works through the power of personal connections—volunteer "Street Angels" proactively reach out and see if any of our neighbors are in need, and then connect them with others who would like to volunteer.

Needs can include help getting groceries, or other home or yard chores. The toolkit also includes local resources to share and local phone numbers. Essentially, it formalizes much of the work that we already do in our neighborhood and helps us make sure we get through this crisis by helping one another. It is a powerful tool that we can continue to use for future needs.

We're currently recruiting Street Angels, who are responsible to reach out to 5–10 neighbors and connect with them via a phone call, email, or (non-contact) personal note. We ask that you don’t knock on doors during this COVID time, but instead tape a note or flier to mailboxes. We are putting together a flier for use.

If you're interested in becoming a Street Angel, contact Molly Blauvelt at tomollytoo@gmail.com.

Neighbor to Neighbor Toolkit
File Size:	320 kb
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Share Your Harvest With Bret Harte Bounty
Is your yard overflowing (even a little) with the season's harvest, and you'd rather not let it fall? Share your oranges, lemons, and more with the neighborhood by taking advantage of the free Bret Harte Bounty Neighborhood Sharing and Sustainability Program!

Some of our Bret Harte neighbors grow an excess of beautiful fruits and vegetables, which they graciously share. And some of our Bret Harte neighbors are elderly or in need. Let’s bring them together! Bret Harte Bounty is a community program to help our neighbors while preventing food waste (ranked third on Project Drawdown’s list of most important solutions to climate change) by delivering shared neighborhood produce to our senior and in-need neighbors. The Bret Harte Bounty program helps pick this excess fruit and delivers to the homes of the elderly and in need in Bret Harte.

For information or to reserve a harvest, contact Nigel Faulkner at nigelf@comcast.net or 415-298-2485; Chris Brown at brownisturninggreen@gmail.com or 628-240-4361; or David & Sarah Leipsic at davidleipsic@sbcglobal.net or 415-577 2794.

Upcoming Events

Neighborhood Garage Sale and Picnic | Sunday, September 12th 2021
Don’t miss the bret harte-wide annual sale, with dozens of participants in the neighborhood and in the park. clothing, jewelry, housewares, collectibles, small furniture, electronics, kids clothes and toys, books, bikes, antiques, glassware, flatware, plants, vintage collectibles, musical gear, gardening equipment, eclectica, and more! Garage Sale 8:00 AM-2:00 PM, Picnic 5:00 PM- 7:00 PM.

Neighborhood Pumpkin Carving | Sunday, October 24th 2021, 3:00–5:00 PM
Join your neighbors in getting ready for trick-or-treating. Pumpkins generously donated by Trader Joe’s. Please bring your own carving tools.

Pre-Trick-or-Treat Pizza Party | Sunday, October 31st 2021 at 6:00 PM
Come dressed in costume before trick-or-treating through the neighborhood. Pizza provided by BHCA

Easter in the Park | Saturday, April 16th 2022 at 10:00 AM
A furry, rascally rabbit has been spotted hiding Easter eggs at the Bret Harte Park. Bring your little ones (and a basket) and help collect all the eggs. Coffee and snacks provided.

Bret hARTe Community Art Stroll | TBD June 2022, 2:00–5:00 PM
Please join us for our third annual Bret hARTe Community Art Stroll! Check out the creative talents of Bret Harte artists while you stroll the neighborhood.

National Night Out | Tuesday, August 2nd 2022 at 5:30 PM
Join friends and neighbors at Bret Harte Park for an ice cream social to celebrate National Night Out. Guest speakers invited.

Annual Activities

Social Events
The BHCA sponsors neighborhood social events that bring residents together, as well as support the needs of Bret Harte residents. Events are organized and run by neighborhood volunteers and most events are held in Bret Harte Park. These include:

Easter in the Park. The Easter Bunny stops by for an Easter Egg Hunt on the Saturday before Easter, with treats provided by the BHCA.

Bret hARTe Community Art Stroll. Check out the creative talents of Bret Harte artists while you stroll the neighborhood.

Neighborhood Garage Sale. Held the Sunday after Labor Day, the annual Sale features dozens of participants around the neighborhood and in the park.

Non-Labor Day Picnic. Our biggest neighborhood event, held after the Neighborhood Garage Sale. This barbecue and potluck (with music in the park performed by local neighborhood residents) marks our annual membership drive and helps bring our community together.

Neighborhood Pumpkin Carving. Traditionally held the weekend before Halloween, children and their parents are invited to the park to pick out a pumpkin (generously donated by Trader Joe’s), carve it, and display their finished jack-o’-lanterns.

Pre–Trick-or-Treat Pizza Party. Before neighborhood kids head into the neighborhood for trick-or-treating, they gather in the park to show off their costumes and eat pizza.

National Night Out. Coordinated with the national celebration in early August, residents are invited to join friends and neighbors at Bret Harte Park to celebrate National Night Out. Guest speakers invited from City of San Rafael police and fire departments.

Join Us!

Welcome to the neighborhood! Whether you’ve been here one year or thirty, you already know how great this place is. You might also know that the BHCA works hard to keep it that way—by putting on activities for all ages including Halloween, Easter, the Art Stroll, and an annual picnic in the park. The BHCA provides services like the Street Angels and Bret Harte Bounty, and represents our neighborhood at the city and county levels. All we’re missing is you! Join (or Renew) to help support us financially. Annual membership is only $25 per household.

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About the BHCA

The Bret Harte Community Association, in existence for over 50 years, is a neighborhood organization that supports approximately 500 residences, with the purpose of bringing the community together.

The BHCA is funded by neighborhood and community donations. A $25/year per-household donation is suggested. However, all activities are available to all neighborhood residents regardless of member status. The many accomplishments of the BHCA are achieved solely through volunteer efforts. To stay up to date on what's happening in and around the neighborhood, subscribe to the BHCA Email List.