WASHINGTON, July 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, KaBOOM!, the
national non-profit dedicated to giving all kids the childhood they
deserve through great, safe places to play, and Target launched the
Play Everywhere Challenge, a competition that will award
$720,000 in grants to local
communities in Atlanta,
Dallas, Houston and Miami. The Challenge will make it easier for
kids and families to get the active play they need by integrating
play opportunities into everyday life and unexpected places.
The well-being of communities starts with the well-being of
kids, and play is critical to their physical, cognitive, creative,
social and emotional development. Research confirms that when kids
play, they grow up more healthy, resilient and ready for life. It's
how kids learn how to problem-solve, resolve conflicts and build
relationships, all necessary developmental skills they need to
succeed as adults.
However, far too many are missing out on the chance to play
because of lack of time and lack of playspaces in their
communities. Many kids, especially in low-income communities, spend
a lot of time commuting and running errands with parents or
caregivers, losing valuable play time to wait at bus stops or make
trips to the laundromat. Making it as easy as possible for families
to incorporate play into their daily schedules is key to kids
getting the active play they need to thrive.
"Play is the essence of childhood, and absolutely critical to
developing happy, healthy and creative kids," said James Siegal, CEO of KaBOOM!. "Playspaces serve
as essential anchors in communities that value and nurture kids and
families. With Target's support of the Play Everywhere Challenge,
we are able to make play the easy choice for families, helping
hundreds of thousands of kids get the childhood they deserve so
they can thrive."
The Play Everywhere Challenge supports the integration of play
into everyday moments. Winning organizations will receive funding
for ideas that encourage families to get active and play together
in a variety of unexpected spaces, including sidewalks, vacant
lots, bus stops, open streets and beyond.
The Challenge is part of a broader effort led by KaBOOM! and
Target focused on engaging communities to help families make active
play a part of everyday life. In addition to the Play Everywhere
Challenge, the partners will build four community and kid-designed
playgrounds, and host the Play Everywhere Tour, bringing families
and kids together across the four cities for a free, fun-filled
family play day. By the end of the year, KaBOOM! and Target will
bring 225 new playspaces to life, reaching more than a half-million
kids across the country.
Applications will be accepted from July
21 – September 1, 2017.
Applicants can be government entities, non-profits or
individuals/groups who have partnered with them. To learn more,
including how to apply for a Play Everywhere Challenge grant,
please visit kaboom.org/playability/play_everywhere/challenge.
About Target
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:
TGT) serves guests at 1,816 stores and at Target.com. Since 1946,
Target has given 5 percent of its profit to communities, which
today equals millions of dollars a week. For more information,
visit Target.com/Pressroom. For a behind-the-scenes look at Target,
visit Target.com/abullseyeview or follow @TargetNews on
Twitter.
About KaBOOM!
KaBOOM! is the national non-profit
dedicated to giving all kids – particularly those growing up in
poverty in America – the childhood they deserve filled with
balanced and active play, so they can thrive. Since 1996, KaBOOM!
has collaborated with partners to build, open, or improve more than
16,700 playgrounds, engaged more than one million volunteers, and
served 8.5 million kids. KaBOOM! creates great places to play,
inspires communities to promote and support play, and works to
drive the national discussion about the importance of play in
fostering healthy and productive lives. To learn why #playmatters
and why cities are embracing #playability:
visit kaboom.org or join the conversation
at twitter.com/kaboom or facebook.com/kaboom.
CONTACT:
Target: Lee Henderson, 612-761-6804,
Lee.Henderson@target.com
KaBOOM!: Lucy Nutting,
202-464-6195, LNutting@kaboom.org
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SOURCE KaBOOM!