Our Mission

It all started with the story of San Francisco, California becoming a magnet for a place to settle down and the Loma Prieta Earthquake. Many people flocked to the Bay Area for job opportunities, better living conditions, better education systems, etc. As more and more people came in, living space became less available for everyone. People felt claustrophobic and yearned for nature. They began to paint murals on the city walls to express their desires and ideas as they beautified the city. It brought peace and pride to the Bay Area.

Then, on October 17, 1989, tragedy struck the Bay Area when San Francisco was hit by the Loma Prieta Earthquake. Over 60 people died and an estimated over 3000 were injured. The earthquake measured a 6.9 on the Richter scale and was responsible for widespread property damage. People felt devastated by the sight of so many buildings destroyed by the earthquake, and they felt the need for a source of comfort to give them hope and a sense of peace.

Though the founders of Regenerate were not alive when the Loma Prieta Earthquake occurred, this coming October 2014 will mark its 25th anniversary. Two of the founders, Deborah Chen and Emily Hsu, discovered that fact and began to research the Loma Prieta Earthquake and its effects on the Bay Area buildings and residents. Inspired by what transpired before the tragic earthquake, the two girls wondered if they could continue the act of beautifying the city. However, they decided not to limit themselves to just San Francisco, but to expand themselves to the entire Bay Area. With the help of three other girls, Mallika Chatterjee, Brittany Lau, and Jocelyn Tam, the non-profit organization Regenerate was born.

Regenerate's project, "Paint the Dream," includes a numerous amount of activities. Our mission focuses mainly on organizing groups of volunteers to aid in the beautification of neglected areas where buildings have become run-down and surrounding environments have become dilapidated. We work with nearby neighborhoods to execute community clean-ups, the painting of murals, etc. Creativity is key in developing ideas regarding the aesthetics of potential places in need of upgrades. Volunteers offer their services to our organization's project as a way to express themselves through their art, and the joy seen on people's faces after a "regenerated" area has been revealed to the community is incomparable.