Sutter Health and Presidio Trust Launch First-Of-Its-Kind Partnership

Founding partnership creates a new model for sustaining public spaces and advancing community health through nature

San Francisco, Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As communities look for new ways to improve health, strengthen social connection and sustain treasured public spaces, not-for-profit health system Sutter Health and the Presidio Trust today announced a landmark partnership designed to do all three.

As the Presidio Trust’s Founding Partner and Official Healthcare Partner, Sutter Health becomes the first nonprofit healthcare organization to hold an official partnership designation with a U.S. national park site. Together, the organizations are creating a new model that connects healthcare, nature and community well-being while helping support one of the nation’s most visited urban national park sites.

The partnership will bring free health and wellness experiences to the Presidio, beginning with weekly outdoor yoga in fall 2026. In 2027, Sutter Health, through their recently announced partnership with the San Francisco 49ers, will introduce an outdoor wellness installation and additional programming designed to encourage movement, recreation and healthy living.

The collaboration comes as healthcare and community leaders increasingly recognize the role that prevention, physical activity, mental well-being and social connection play in people’s health. Research has associated time in nature with reduced stress, improved mental well-being, increased physical activity and stronger social ties.

“Part of our vision is helping people get and stay well, and so much of that comes down to the choices we make every day,” said Warner Thomas, President and CEO of Sutter Health. “Getting outside, staying active and being proactive about your health are important parts of preventative care — helping us reduce health risks, prevent illness and stay healthier over time. Through partnerships like this, more people in the communities we serve will have access to opportunities to be active, support their well-being and enjoy one of the Bay Area’s most treasured public spaces.” 

Rooted in a shared belief that access to nature can improve physical and mental well-being, the partnership brings Sutter Health’s experience in preventive care to the Presidio’s natural setting. It will create new opportunities for residents and visitors of different ages, backgrounds and abilities to support their health through movement, recreation and community connection.

“At the Presidio Trust, we’ve seen the transformative power of nature on people’s physical and mental health,” said Jean Fraser, Chief Executive Officer of the Presidio Trust. “We’re proud to partner with Sutter Health to give more people more reasons to spend time in this magnificent national park site while supporting its long-term sustainability.”

“San Francisco’s public spaces bring life to our neighborhoods and offer places for residents of all ages to move, connect, and explore,” said Mayor Daniel Lurie. “This partnership shows what's possible when the public and private sectors come together to invest in the places that strengthen our city and support our people. I want to thank Sutter Health, the Presidio Trust and the San Francisco 49ers for coming together to activate and sustain the Presidio – one of our city’s most extraordinary public spaces – and bring more people out to experience everything it has to offer.”

One of the partnership’s first initiatives is Yoga in the Park, presented by Sutter Health, a free weekly wellness series offered from Sept. 13 through Nov. 22 at Outpost Meadow in collaboration with Sports Basement. Open to participants of all ages and abilities, the classes offer opportunities for movement, mindfulness and community in one of the Bay Area’s most recognizable outdoor settings. Each session can accommodate up to 50 participants, with advance registration available at here.

The partnership will expand in 2027 with an outdoor wellness installation and community programming developed by Sutter Health and the San Francisco 49ers. The experiences will create additional ways for residents and visitors to engage in movement, recreation and healthy living at the Presidio.

Through free wellness programming, outdoor experiences and community events, the partnership aims to encourage more people to spend time outside, be physically active and connect with one another. Future initiatives will focus on making health and wellness experiences accessible and welcoming to a broad range of Presidio visitors.

A New Model for Public Benefit

The Presidio Trust operates under a distinctive self-sustaining financial model and does not receive annual congressional appropriations for its day-to-day operations. It instead relies on earned revenue, philanthropy and strategic partnerships to care for the park and improve the visitor experience.

As the inaugural partner in the Presidio Trust’s Corporate Sponsorship program, Sutter Health is helping demonstrate a new approach to sustaining public spaces through mission-aligned partnerships. The program creates opportunities for organizations to support community assets while advancing shared goals that benefit the public, including health, recreation, education and environmental stewardship.

With an estimated 9.5 million annual visits, the Presidio is consistently among the most visited national park sites in the country, drawing more visitors than Yosemite and the Grand Canyon combined. Its 1,000 acres include landscapes, forests and native plants, along with 53 miles of sidewalks and trails and a free park shuttle.

The Presidio is also home to Fort Point National Historic Site, eight monuments and memorials and a public heritage gallery at the Presidio Officers’ Club, the park’s oldest building. In 2025, the Outpost nature playground and nearby Field Station welcomed 500,000 visits, supported in part by Sutter Health’s After Hours program, which extended summer hours for working families.

The new partnership builds on that work and expands the organizations’ shared vision for the future. Together, Sutter Health and the Presidio Trust aim to demonstrate how healthcare organizations, public institutions and community partners can improve well-being, strengthen public spaces and create lasting benefits for the communities they serve.

About the Presidio + Presidio Trust  

The Presidio is one of America’s most visited national park sites, located within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, created to bring national park experiences closer to where people live – in cities. Spanning 1,500 acres next to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio is among the most biologically diverse parks in America. Historically home to native peoples and a military post under three flags, its facilities have been reinvented as museums, restaurants, hotels, homes, and offices.

The Presidio Trust is the federal agency that stewards the Presidio, in partnership with the National Park Service, and with support from the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. The Trust is responsible for funding park operations without annual congressional funding, primarily by leasing homes and workplaces and offering visitor amenities. The new sponsorship program seeks to build a select portfolio of no more than five corporate partners with additional values-aligned organizations committed to supporting the Presidio's mission and the communities it serves.

Learn more about corporate sponsorship opportunities at https://presidio.gov/support/corporate-sponsorships

About Sutter Health

Sutter Health is a not-for-profit healthcare system dedicated to providing comprehensive care throughout California. Committed to health equity, community partnerships, and innovative, high-quality patient care, Sutter Health is pursuing a bold new plan to reach more people and make excellent healthcare more connected and accessible. Currently serving nearly 3.5 million patients, thanks to our dedicated team of more than 57,000 employees and clinicians, and 12,000+ affiliated physicians, with a unified focus on expanding care to serve more patients.

Sutter delivers exceptional and affordable care through its hospitals, medical groups, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care clinics, telehealth, home health, and hospice services. Dedicated to transforming healthcare, at Sutter Health, getting better never stops.

Learn more about how Sutter Health is transforming healthcare at sutterhealth.org and vitals.sutterhealth.org.

Attachments

• Sutter Health and Presidio partnership logo
• Yoga in the Park presented by Sutter Health

Ashley Boarman
Sutter Health
443-248-4532
ashley.boarman@sutterhealth.org