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KaBOOM! How This Non-Profit Can Help You Build a Community Playground in NYC
KaBOOM! is a nonprofit with an awesome mission: to create places for kids to play. The national organization—which was founded by Darell Hammond in 1996—helps to erect approximately 200 playgrounds a year, primarily in low-income areas.
This past May, I attended an amazing playground build at East Harlem's 103rd Street Community Garden, which was co-sponsored by KaBOOM!, Disney and the New York Restoration Project. Since it's just one component of the 13,000-square-foot site's overhaul, it won't reopen until this fall. When it does, there will also be basketball courts, picnic tables, barbecue pits and a community garden.
In addition to facilitating the actual construction, KaBOOM! provides tools and grants to help groups finance and build their own playgrounds. We've got the info on how you can help KaBOOM! construct play spots for others or in your own community.
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The 103rd Street Community Garden playground is an example of a Kaboom! Community Partnership. Neighborhood kids helped think up the play spot, and local volunteers assembled the equipment in just eight hours.
KaBOOM! doesn't do everything single-handedly. When working with the nonprofit, communities are charged with raising a significant portion of the financing, and finding folks to assist with the build. Nearby businesses are also encouraged to donate food and water to the volunteers.
Once a playground project is approved, KaBOOM! helps to identify partners who will provide necessary funding. A KaBOOM! playground usually includes equipment, a picnic area, benches, murals and amenities, so each one costs around $70,000, In the case of the 103rd Street Community Garden, Disney coughed up the majority of the money, and the neighborhood came up with the final 10 percent.
KaBOOM! encourages kids to get involved, too. In fact, they get to do the best part: dream up the playground! Several weeks before each build, KaBOOM! holds a Design Day when local children can share their ideas about the perfect play spot. Their input is incorporated into the final design. With such intense community involvement, the playground becomes a source of pride and empowerment for the neighborhood.
How to Apply to be a KaBOOM! Community Partner
If you're part of an organization that's interested in spearheading a playground, you can apply to be a KaBOOM! Community Partner. Keep in mind that 10,000 schools, shelters, YMCAs and other groups apply annually, but only 200 projects are completed. No, the odds aren't great, but you (literally) can't play if you don't try.
If you aren’t approved for as a Community Partner or prefer to do it yourself, KaBOOM! may still be able to offer you tools or financial assistance.
If you have the financing to build a playground but not the know-how, check out the KaBOOM! Project Planner. It's free to register for access to this step-by-step tutorial, which goes over all the nuts and bolts, and also includes info on how to volunteer at a build.
The Dr. Pepper Snapple Group sponsors this program, which awards $750 to $30,000 grants to help build or renovate playgrounds. Learn more about Let's Play or apply for a grant.
Map of Play
Like a Yelp for playgrounds, KaBOOM!'s Map of Play allows you to rate and review play spots all over the country. Currently, there are more than 80,000 sites listed, and users submit additional spots every day. The tool is easy to use: Just type in a zip code and you'll find out about (or be able to add) nearby playgrounds, school yards, sports fields, pools and play spaces. There's even a free i Phone app (although we downloaded it and it keeps crashing so KaBOOM! is clearly working out the kinks).
103rd Street Community Garden
105 East 103rd Street between Park and Lexington Avenues
The Garden is set to reopen on Thursday, September 22 at 5pm.
Find out about other great playgrounds in New York City.
Places featured in this article:
The East 103rd Street Community Garden
