Operation Playground

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Bringing play back to the Gulf Coast

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita took a severe toll on the people and communities in their wake, especially on the children who lived there.

To address the critical need for safe and fun places where children could play amid the debris and clean up efforts, KaBOOM! launched Operation Playground, an initiative to build playgrounds in Gulf Coast communities affected by the storms.

With the generous support of funders such as Jim and Donna Barksdale, The Home Depot, Playworld Systems Inc., Fannie Mae, NBA Cares, the DJR Foundation, AmeriCares, ESPN and ING DIRECT, KaBOOM! has channeled $8.2 million into the area and mobilized more than 22,000 volunteers.

Operation Playground highlights

  • To commemorate the year-mark of Hurricane Katrina, KaBOOM!, The Home Depot, Playworld Systems and Hands On Network mobilized thousands of volunteers to build ten playgrounds in just four days, Aug. 28-31, 2006.
  • In February 2006, we partnered with Fannie Mae to build six playgrounds in just one day at New Orleans schools.
  • In October 2007, we built playgrounds in New Orleans and Long Beach, Miss., using our Legacy of Play fund, an innovative funding strategy built on contributions ranging from $1,000 to $75,000 from individuals, associations, foundations and companies.
  • On June 14, 2008, KaBOOM! built our 100th playground in the Gulf Coast in Bay St. Louis where the initiative began.

See photos from all 100 builds.

More than 50,000 children from Houston to Mobile now have great new places to play, but there is still a great deal of work to do as the region continues to rebuild.

To volunteer for a Gulf Coast project, contact Sarah Pinsky at spinsky@kaboom.org.

Refer Gulf Coast organizations or communities in need of a playground by emailing needplayground@kaboom.org.

Download a pdf document with this information.