FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Richmond, VA (December 5, 2018) · The CarMax Foundation announces today the renewal of its partnership with KaBOOM!, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to giving ALL kids the childhood they deserve through great, safe places to play. CarMax, the nation’s largest retailer of used cars, has transformed the automotive industry and The CarMax Foundation’s additional investment of $4.4 million will help KaBOOM! transform the future of play for kids that need it most. The partners will build upon their existing commitment to create opportunities for kids to develop 21st century skills through active play, reaching 170,000 more kids by the end of 2021. Additionally, The CarMax Foundation will fund a new program to invest in innovation for KaBOOM! including the research and development of new play experiences. As the global landscape continues to change, kids need to prepare for the careers of tomorrow by developing a skill set to approach challenges with critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and resiliency. Play opportunities complement classroom learning and create experiences that can support readiness for these future careers. “Our associates across the country will impact countless families by encouraging kids to be creative and curious through play,” said Matt Aman, president of The CarMax Foundation. “Expanding our partnership with KaBOOM! with a renewed focus on innovation is a natural fit for our transformational culture.” Starting in January 2019, The CarMax Foundation and KaBOOM! will: Create a total of 68 new playspaces including 24 playgrounds. Continue supporting military communities through grants during a Military Week of Play. Invest in sports courts, a new offering from KaBOOM! that provides a place for all kids to play sports. Deploy Rigamajigs which stimulate creative thinking and problem-solving skills through experiential play and hands-on, active learning. Team up on research and development projects to innovate play for the future, especially for kids in economically challenged neighborhoods. “The CarMax Foundation is a powerful champion for kids across America, creating wonderful opportunities for kids in need of play. The commitment and enthusiasm of CarMax associates is unsurpassed, and great things happen when they roll up their sleeves as volunteers to create playspaces in the communities where they live, work and play,” said James Siegal, CEO of KaBOOM!. “We are thrilled to continue our amazing partnership with The CarMax Foundation for another three years and grateful that we share a passion for ensuring all kids get the childhood they deserve filled with play.”
The CarMax Foundation announces today the renewal of its partnership with KaBOOM!, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to giving ALL kids the childhood they deserve through great, safe places to play. CarMax, the nation’s largest retailer of used cars, has transformed the automotive industry and The CarMax Foundation’s additional investment of $4.4 million will help KaBOOM! transform the future of play for kids that need it most.
The partners will build upon their existing commitment to create opportunities for kids to develop 21st century skills through active play, reaching 170,000 more kids by the end of 2021. Additionally, The CarMax Foundation will fund a new program to invest in innovation for KaBOOM! including the research and development of new play experiences.
As the global landscape continues to change, kids need to prepare for the careers of tomorrow by developing a skill set to approach challenges with critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and resiliency. Play opportunities complement classroom learning and create experiences that can support readiness for these future careers.
“Our associates across the country will impact countless families by encouraging kids to be creative and curious through play,” said Matt Aman, president of The CarMax Foundation. “Expanding our partnership with KaBOOM! with a renewed focus on innovation is a natural fit for our transformational culture.”
Starting in January 2019, The CarMax Foundation and KaBOOM! will:
“The CarMax Foundation is a powerful champion for kids across America, creating wonderful opportunities for kids in need of play. The commitment and enthusiasm of CarMax associates is unsurpassed, and great things happen when they roll up their sleeves as volunteers to create playspaces in the communities where they live, work and play,” said James Siegal, CEO of KaBOOM!. “We are thrilled to continue our amazing partnership with The CarMax Foundation for another three years and grateful that we share a passion for ensuring all kids get the childhood they deserve filled with play.”
Join the national discussion about the importance of play in fostering healthy and productive lives on social media using #playmatters, #carmaxcares and follow the work of KaBOOM! (@KaBOOM!) and CarMax (@CarMax).
About The CarMax FoundationThe CarMax Foundation enriches the communities where our associates live and work. Together with CarMax, Inc., the Foundation has donated more than $50 million since 2003. Funding programs are made available through a portion of CarMax, Inc.’s pre-tax profits. CarMax, a member of the FORTUNE 500 and the S&P 500, and on the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for 14 consecutive years, is the nation’s largest retailer of used cars. For 25 years, CarMax has made car buying more ethical, fair and stress-free by offering a no-haggle, no-hassle experience and an incredible selection of vehicles. CarMax makes selling your car easy too, by offering no-obligation appraisals good for seven days. At CarMax, we’ll buy your car even if you don’t buy ours®. For more information, access the CarMax website at www.carmax.com.
About KABOOM!KABOOM! is the national nonprofit committed to ending playspace inequity – the reality that quality places to play are not available to every child, especially in communities of color. Since 1996, KABOOM! has partnered with kids and communities to create or transform 17,000+ playspaces and ensure that nearly 12 million kids have equitable access to the crucial benefits and opportunities that playspaces offer. In 2022, KABOOM! launched the 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity, the $250 million plan to accelerate its mission in 25 high-priority locations over five years. Learn more at kaboom.org and join the conversation at twitter.com/kaboom, facebook.com/kaboom, instagram.com/kaboom and LinkedIn.