WASHINGTON, DC, June 25, 2007 "“ KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America, announced today a new fund to allow individuals and organizations to contribute as little as $1000 to help sponsor a playground in the Gulf Coast. The organization’s new Leave a Legacy of Play Fund will combine smaller donations in order to build two new playgrounds in the Gulf Coast this October. The Fund received a major boost when Fannie Mae, as part of its ongoing commitment to help rebuild Gulf Coast communities, announced it will be a KaBOOM! Legacy Partner with an $85,000 contribution.

"There is still so much work we need to do to rebuild the Gulf Coast, particularly for the children who live there," said KaBOOM! CEO and co-founder Darell Hammond. "The Legacy of Play Fund is not only a great way for people who haven’t been active in the Gulf Coast rebuilding effort to get involved, but also for those who have contributed or volunteered and are looking for a way to do more."

The Legacy of Play Fund playgrounds will be built on "Make a Difference Day," October 27, 2007. The selected partners for the Legacy of Play projects are Guste Homes, a nonprofit affordable housing development in the Central City district of New Orleans, and War Memorial Park, a public park in Long Beach, MS. The Legacy of Play Fund is part of Operation Playground, a KaBOOM! initiative to build 100 playgrounds in communities affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

"Many people don't realize that life has not gotten back to normal for the majority of the residents of the Gulf Coast," said Long Beach Mayor William Skellie "Children, in particular, have really suffered since Hurricane Katrina and their lives continue to be disrupted by the changes they’ve experienced in their homes, schools and neighborhoods. A playground gives them a place to forget about what has happened and just be kids again. It is an oasis for our children in a landscape still littered with debris and uncertainty."

In its traditional model, KaBOOM! matches a single funding partner with a single community organization or school for its playspace projects. By combining multiple smaller donations, the Legacy of Play Fund is designed to give individuals, small businesses and associations who cannot fund a full project the opportunity to help build a playground for children in need. The Legacy of Play projects will be built using the traditional KaBOOM! community-build model. Each KaBOOM! playground is designed by the children who will use it, planned by local community members and built entirely by volunteers in just one day.

For more information on the Leave a Legacy of Play Fund or to contribute, contact Bridget Hankin, 202-464-6084, or bhankin@kaboom.org.

KaBOOM!

KaBOOM! is a national nonprofit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. Over the past decade, KaBOOM! has used its innovative community-build model to bring together business and community interests to construct over 1,200 new playgrounds, skateparks, sports fields and ice rinks across North America. KaBOOM! also offers a variety of resources, including a website and online community, regional and national trainings, grants and publications for communities that wish to plan a new playspace on their own. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., KaBOOM! also has offices in Chicago, Atlanta and San Mateo, CA. For more information, visit www.kaboom.org.

KaBOOM!

KaBOOM!

KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to the bold goal of ensuring that all children, particularly the 16 million American children living in poverty, get the active play they need to become healthy and successful adults. KaBOOM! has been a powerful champion for play since its founding in 1996, working with partners to build, improve, and open more than 15,000 playgrounds, engage more than 1,000,000 volunteers and serve more than 6,600,000 children. KaBOOM! creates and catalyzes great places to play; inspires, empowers and leads play advocates; and elevates the societal conversation about the importance of play in children’s lives. For more information, visit kaboom.org/act.

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