July 1, 2025
To Our Friends and Supporters of Rich May Field,
In the Summer of 2025, it is crucial that we acknowledge and celebrate what we have collectively built, nurtured, and sustained—something that has exceeded our initial expectations and created a remarkable impact on our community. We now find ourselves in a unique but wonderful dilemma: our field is operating at nearly full capacity, and as it approaches its 10-year anniversary since its dedication on
April 13, 2015, it requires necessary maintenance and long-term planning.
Our partnership between the Ravenswood City School District and the Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco remains a distinctive and effective model. The school utilizes the field during school hours throughout the academic year, while the Rich May Foundation manages it after 3:00 p.m. daily. East Palo Alto soccer and rugby organization benefit from the field’s availability until 9:30 p.m. each night and throughout the weekends.
The impact over the past decade has been profound. With the assistance of Board Member and retired Palo Alto Police Chief Dennis Burns, we have observed a significant decrease in juvenile crime. While we cannot claim full credit, we strongly believe that the opportunities provided by the field have played a role in fostering positive change—one of our primary goals when we first embarked on this journey.
Beyond crime reduction, Rich May Field has become a premier athletic space for the youth of East Palo Alto, offering them a top-tier playing surface, with lights, comparable to those found in more affluent communities. Our field has nurtured exceptional talent, with several athletes reaching remarkable heights:
- Folau Niu – USA 7’s Rugby, 377 games for Team USA, bronze medalist in the Pan American Games, World Rugby Player of the Year (2021), and an Olympic team member (2016 & 2020).
- Vita Vea – Former rugby player and now a Super Bowl Champion with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2021).
- Patrick Mateo – Member of the USA Men’s National Rugby Team.
- Samu Manoa – USA Rugby and international club player with Northampton Saints (England), Cardiff Blues (Wales), and Toulon (France).
These athletes represent just a fraction of the success stories that have emerged from Rich May Field, and we are committed to ensuring that future generations continue to benefit from this invaluable community resource.
Why We Need Your Help
Our field operates at a designed financial deficit, intentionally charging users a below-market rate of $50/hour—far less than the $150/hour charged by comparable fields in nearby communities. We do this to ensure accessibility for families and organizations that might otherwise struggle to afford such facilities. Through generous donors and our “Field Angel” program (a five-year, $5,000 per year commitment), we have successfully covered operational costs, maintained a positive bank balance, and even begun building an endowment fund—all without incurring any debt.
However, our long-term goal is to secure the sustainability of Rich May Field. We face two pressing financial challenges:
- Resurfacing the Field (2026) – The estimated cost to replace the field’s surface is $1 million—more than double the original $450,000 spent a decade ago.
- Building a Sustainable Endowment – Currently, our endowment stands at $60,000. To ensure the field’s long-term viability, we must reach $2.5 million, which will generate sufficient yearly dividends to cover our operational deficit.
The Legacy and the Future
We were told a decade ago that building this field was impossible, that the landscape of East Palo Alto was littered with failed projects. But with your help, we proved the skeptics wrong. Now, we must take the next step to ensure this success story continues for future generations.
Your past donations were instrumental in making Rich May Field a reality, and we are asking for your continued support to ensure its longevity. Unlike other organizations where significant portions of donations go toward administrative costs, nearly 100% of our funds directly support the field’s infrastructure and mission. We employ only two part-time field managers—local young adults for whom this role often serves as a stepping stone into the workforce.
Rich May Field is a philanthropic success story, one that honors the life of a dedicated public servant and provides young athletes with the opportunity to grow, compete, and develop valuable life skills. Your contributions have already made an extraordinary impact—now, we invite you to spread the word and help us secure the field’s future.
And we encourage you to reach out to any of our Board members or visit the field in action to witness firsthand what your generosity has built.
Thank you for being an integral part of this journey.
With gratitude,
Frank Merrill, Jr., DVM
President, Rich May Foundation