Guided by our commitment to providing youth equal access to play and sport as a fundamental right and to invest in Los Angeles communities, the Play Equity Fund embraced its role as a partner in the Super Bowl LVI Legacy programs. Working closely with the Los Angeles Super Bowl Host Committee, the NFL and the LA84 Foundation, the Play Equity Fund is honored to be part of both the Champions Live Here and the Park on the Move programs.
The mission of the Play Equity Fund is to drive long-term systems change through advancing the understanding of the collective power of play, organized youth sports programs and movement. This necessitates increasing access to resources and opportunities for those in need. The Super Bowl LVI Legacy shows how strong, innovative partnerships can create real solutions that have impact.
The unprecedented challenges we have all faced over the last two years throughout a global pandemic must be approached as a moment of opportunity – and as a call to action to support those who are working daily within underserved communities.
It’s for these moments that the Play Equity Movement was created. It unites stakeholders in education, sports, health, and the public sector with a common goal to help drive meaningful change, to inspire young people from all backgrounds to play, and to help bring all kids access to the life benefits sport and play provide. We believe with this access; sport has an uncommon power to break down barriers and create new opportunities. These efforts have never been more important – or more timely.
The isolation of the pandemic has impacted the socioemotional development of many children, and their mental well-being is also a deepening concern, with students experiencing increased anxiety, behavioral challenges and decreased confidence. This can no longer be overlooked. The value of sport and play is vitally important for everyone – a part of life that not only promotes healthier bodies, but also energizes the mind, keeps us connected to our peers and helps prepare future generations for what comes next.
The legacy of Super Bowl LVI brought new support and shined a bright light on the incredible work of 56 grassroots organizations. The Play Equity Fund team received nominations from across Los Angeles to award grants to these unsung hero organizations that so often go unrecognized. Each were awarded a $10,000 grant, a professionally produced video spotlighting their mission, and public recognition of their work. Six of the organizations were also selected to receive a total grant award of $50,000, to make an even bigger impact in their communities.
As an additional part of the legacy, the Play Equity Fund built partnerships with the County of Los Angeles Parks & Recreation Dept. and the national nonprofit Playworks to bring the Park on the Move program for years to come to families in local communities that lack park space and playgrounds.
Los Angeles has a median of 3.3 acres of park space per 1,000 people, well below the median of 6.8 acres per 1,000 people in other high-density U.S. cities. This program launched at Jefferson Elementary in Lennox, which has only one park and 0.24 acres of park space per 1,000 people, which is among the lowest ratios in LA County.
When the Park on the Move program arrives in a neighborhood, sports equipment will be distributed to kids. Playworks will be present to encourage the physical, social, and emotional development of children, and provide parents and caregivers with training and resources about the value of sports and play.
We are grateful to our partners for their dedication to closing the play equity gap, and for the work each of these organizations do daily. There is still much to be done.
The transformative power of sport and play is lost when only available to those who can access it, and recent studies in LA County show that kids from households with incomes greater than $150,000 participate in sports programs at a rate of 93%, while 68% of kids from families earning below $35k play sports.
The Play Equity Fund is seizing this moment to support more youth-serving organizations with the #SpringIntoPlay campaign. After the last two years of isolation and hardship, the Spring Into Play campaign is strengthening the youth sports ecosystem to help bring more kids joy, healthy recreation and togetherness. We know the pandemic has disproportionately impacted communities of color, therefore #SpringIntoPlay is focused on boosting organizations in these communities.
This campaign is currently bringing new funding to local youth-serving organizations as well as a new group of grantees in the Antelope Valley – with the aim to reach as many kids as possible. We are supporting organizations that are already working with young people in underserved communities – those who bring after-school sports programs and enrichment opportunities.
These investments go toward paying staff and coaches, purchasing play equipment, transportation costs, facilities maintenance and refurbishment, and other needed resources.
The arrival of the warmer months always comes with the promise of renewal, and with that optimism our hope also grows about the trajectory of the pandemic. While the last two years may never be forgotten, we can work together today to gain ground on what our young people have lost. Even in times of uncertainty, together we can help shape a new reality.
Renata Simril is president of The Play Equity Fund. Learn more at playequityfund.org.
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