Donate to Downtown SLO ♥
Friends of Downtown SLO is a 501c3 non-profit established in 2018 to help fund programs like our Clean & Safe Ambassador program.
Honoring Tom Copeland
Downtown SLO is mourning the loss of downtown pioneer, advocate, and champion Tom Copeland. Tom and his late brother Jim were visionaries and passionate advocates for downtown San Luis Obispo. A former Downtown SLO Board member, Tom was instrumental in shaping the vibrant commercial and cultural center that we cherish today.
We are forever grateful for Tom and his wife Pam’s dedication to our organization and community. We are honored that Friends of Downtown SLO was one of the nonprofit organizations Tom chose as a beneficiary for donation support.
Do you love downtown San Luis Obispo?
We do too! Downtown is the business, social, and cultural center of San Luis Obispo, and is critical to the economic health of the entire SLOCAL region. From the weekly Thursday Night Farmers’ Market to dazzling Holiday Happenings to a thriving nightlife, it is clear that this charming and historic neighborhood is unlike any other city in California. That’s why our organization is committed to services that help keep downtown a safe, clean, and welcoming place to be, 365 days a year — and we need your support!
Our Downtown SLO Ambassadors work to ensure that our downtown is clean, safe, and welcoming to visitors — whether they’re living, working, shopping, or exploring downtown.
Ambassadors provide cleaning services for the sidewalks and alleys within the boundaries of our 24-block service area. This includes, but is not limited to, the removal of trash, graffiti, stickers, and messes (like urine, feces, and vomit.)
Additionally, Ambassadors are out on the streets every single day connecting our community — whether that's providing directions, recommending restaurants, answering questions, or giving resources to unhoused folks.
Downtown Ambassadors often report potential dangers or active emergency situations to the police, fire department, or emergency services. We partner with local community organizations like CAPSLO to ensure that individuals are given proper care.
Downtown is the business, social, and cultural center of San Luis Obispo.
From the weekly Thursday Night Farmers’ Market to dazzling Holiday Happenings to a thriving nightlife, it is clear that this charming and historic neighborhood is unlike any other city in California. Downtown attracts tens of thousands of tourists each year, making it critical to the economic health of the whole SLOCAL region.
Here at Downtown SLO, we are constantly working towards cultivating an even more vibrant neighborhood. Whether you live, do business, play, or shop downtown, we want to ensure it is a welcoming space to engage with your fellow SLOcals. But we need help with the resources that will allow us to bring these visions to life; we hope you will engage and participate in making your downtown the best it can be.
Read our 2022–2023 Annual Report to see all the ways we maintain a thriving downtown!