28 million Children in the U. S. Do not have a playground within a 10 minute walk of their
home and Children from lower income neighborhoods tend to have less access to parks and playgrounds
than those in high income areas.
But a special correspondent cat Wise reports, a nonprofit is working
to end those place space in equities.
What did you do in school today? Going on afraid. After a long day
at work. Lifelong Baltimore resident Brandy Walker often takes her
kids to one of their favorite places in the neighborhood. This in
Harlem Park Elementary and middle school playground. It's a fun place
to be, says Walker's 11 year old son. Jordan's. My favorite part
is when I'm on the spinning thinking on monkey bars
to play with my friends and my family.
But this colorful playground wasn't always so fun.
Previous years the playground was to me saying there there was just
a black top in the field. The playground didn't allow the Children
activities to build gross motor skills. Many of Baltimore's playgrounds
are in need of a makeover.
This year, a citywide assessment found 112 playgrounds at schools
and parks in the city are in poor condition. Most of them are in
neighborhoods with predominantly low income communities of color.
People of color are absolutely disproportionately impacted by place
based in equity. Oh, Ratliff is the CEO of KaBOOM Nonprofit started
in 1996 that's helped build or improve more than 17,000 playgrounds
around the country, including Harlem parks in 2016, because of
Historical and racialized disinvestment in our communities. Kids
don't have places to play in their schools or near their houses.
People of color have suffered and people of color have experienced
lower budgets.
Lower resources and, quite frankly, lower prioritization in making
sure they have what they need to thrive
more than ever. Play spaces are needed as many Children cope with
mental health issues due to the pandemic. Science tells us that our
well being our physical or mental
Health is affected by having great places to be outdoors. Connect
with the Earth connect with our fellow human beings that there is
really no stronger remedy to physical and mental health and
What we call a sense of belonging and community. We know what's possible
here recently visited a playground about to get a makeover with officials
from Baltimore's public school district and the Recreation and Parks
Department
to place places here, kaboom partners with local government and community
organizations to identify neighborhoods in greatest need of a playground.
And then helps find funders and facilitates the planning and building
of the playground. Members of the community, including kids also
play an important role, providing their input on designs and helping
on build days earlier this year, Kaboom received a big boost $14
million from philanthropist Mackensie Scott.
Playgrounds have recently been built at Butterfly Park in Milwaukee,
Chinatown in Philadelphia and in San Francisco's Heron's Head Park,
where kids now play in a nature inspired space.
But Baltimore has been a big focus. More than 40 playgrounds have
been built or improved there over the last two decades as a young
person who grew up here in Baltimore living in Park Heights.
I know how much a wrecking parts facilities can really help young
people. Go, go go. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott says He appreciates
kaboom partnerships with his city, and he wants to do more.
$41 million from the American rescue plan have been designated for
upgrading Baltimore's parks and recreational facilities. Developing
a playground is like allowing developing a child to grow into therefore
self, they're going to be in a safe place right there going to be
able to be physically.
Healthy. It helps with their mental health allows their family to
experience things. It's a sense of community. They get from being
with other folks, and that's what you need to throw healthy and safe
communities. In April, KaBOOM launched a new $250 million initiative
with the goal of ending Place Basin Equity in 25 communities in the
next five years.
What does that look like a high quality playground near every child's
home or school, according to Kaboom.
Baltimore was the first city selected for the new program. More than
50 playgrounds will be built or improved in the next few years. This
is a solvable problem. It is fairly low cost and high impact. We
can make some significant advancements that don't just have immediate
benefits, but have long term benefits.
For our communities and our kids
in Harlem Park Brandy Walker says her neighborhoods rebuilt Playground
has helped her kids and her to the playground. I just feel safer
and I'm able to relax and debris from the day before going home and
Um, starting out evening.
For PBS news Weekend, I'm Cat Wise.