BUILT TO LAST
Celebrating 50 Years of the California Conservation Corps
50th Anniversary Gala
Tuesday, July 7, 2026 | 5:30 p.m. | Secretary of State Building Courtyard, Sacramento
A private VIP reception with distinguished guests and CCC leaders, followed by a Courtyard Birthday Party and Reunion celebrating 50 years of CCC service. Join us to honor the corpsmembers, alumni, and supporters who built something that lasts.
"But a beginning..."
Those were the words I wrote on the bill that launched the California Conservation Corps back in 1976.
And here we are, still going strong - 50 years of "hard work, low pay, miserable conditions... and more!"
Join me on the evening of Tuesday, July 7th as we celebrate this milestone, share some memories, and look to another new beginning - the next 50 years of the CCC.
-Jerry Brown, Governor of California (1975-83; 2011-19)
Our Story
Since 1976, young Californians have answered a call to serve. They have fought wildfires and restored watersheds. They have built trails through the backcountry and responded when disaster struck. They have grown from young adults who needed a chance into the conservation and emergency response leaders California depends on.
For 50 years, the California Conservation Corps has been that chance. This is their story and your invitation to be part of what comes next.
50 YEARS STRONG
The numbers tell part of the story. The people tell the rest.
STATS
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STATS
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STATS
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STATS
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For California. For Good.
SUPPORT OUR MISSION
For 50 years, the California Conservation Corps has been sustained largely by public investment. That investment is now under direct threat. Federal funding that has long supported conservation corps work across California is being cut, and the programs that train and sustain young people in this work face growing uncertainty.
The CCC Foundation exists to ensure that when public funding is cut, delayed, or insufficient, the work does not stop and the young people doing it are not abandoned. We are raising money to grow the Foundation's operating reserve, so that when the next budget crisis comes, private philanthropy can step in without hesitation.
This is the Built to Last campaign. We are building the private philanthropic foundation the CCC has never fully had, and now urgently needs.
Your gift, at any level, is an investment in the next 50 years.
Make a Difference Today
Become a Built to Last Sponsor #50Forward
Corporate and organizational sponsors at every level are helping build the private philanthropic foundation the California Conservation Corps needs for the next 50 years. Your support funds the work that California counts on — and connects your organization to one of the state's most enduring conservation and workforce development stories.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for the July 7 Gala and throughout the 50th Anniversary year. Title Sponsors are recognized as Founding Sponsors of the Built to Last Campaign — with year-long recognition across all Foundation-produced anniversary materials and communications.