Kids at Casa Blanca Home of Neighborly Service in Riverside, Calif., are celebrating as the school debuts a kid-designed, community-built playground. The months-long collaboration between Casa Blanca, the CarMax Foundation, and KABOOM! culminated this week as more than 150 volunteers built the new playspace that will spark joy and foster a sense of belonging for more than 600 kids each year in Riverside.
The new playground was a collaborative effort by community members, including kids, who presented creative ideas for their dream playground during a design day in July and will provide access to the only playspace for families in the area. This is The CarMax Foundation’s 100th build with KABOOM! as part of their commitment to support and serve in the communities where their associates live and work.
“At CarMax, we’re proud to have reached the incredible milestone of bringing 100 playgrounds to local communities across the country in partnership with KABOOM!,” said Jason Ancarrow, president of The CarMax Foundation. “It’s exciting to help bring a playground to life that was designed by and for the community and our associates are energized by volunteering together and alongside the families that will enjoy the playgrounds for years to come.”
The CarMax Foundation has provided the majority of funding for the new playground through its 12-year partnership with KABOOM!, furthering its commitment to ending playspace inequity. The CarMax Foundation has invested $17.5 million with KABOOM! to build 100 playgrounds across the country with the volunteer support of more than 12,000 CarMax Associates. In 2022, The CarMax Foundation committed $3.9 million to support the creation of 25 kid-designed playgrounds over the next three years and ensure that at least 62,500 children in high-priority communities have access to safe and inclusive places to play.
“We’re so incredibly proud of our long-standing partnership with The CarMax Foundation,” said Lysa Ratliff, CEO of KABOOM!. “As we celebrate the 100th milestone playspace build here at Casa Blanca, I’m reminded of the impact that can be achieved when partners unite to work alongside communities to create safe, inclusive spaces where kids can learn, play, and grow. We look forward to continuing this partnership with The CarMax Foundation for many years to come and inspiring generations of happy and healthy kids.”
Playing is the essence of childhood and is a critical developmental need that provides countless physical, social, and mental health benefits. However, far too many children, especially in communities of color, do not have a place to play near where they live or learn. KABOOM! is working to end playspace inequity, ensuring that kids have access to quality places to play, something that should be part of every child’s life.
Casa Blanca Home of Neighborly Service believes that all kids deserve spaces where they can play together, develop social skills, and be creative. The new kid-designed, community-built playspace will replace an outdated playground onsite and will showcase to the community that Casa Blanca is indeed open and ready to welcome and support the children of Riverside.
Others who contributed are VCI Victor Construction Inc. and the McGuire Brothers. VCI provided financial and professional construction support. The McGuire Brothers provided new grass to result in water savings and overall beautification, as well as lunch on build day.