Playing for Keeps and America SCORES Bay Area Team Up to Combat Play Deserts in San Francisco
In an inspiring initiative to create more accessible play areas for children, the Playing for Keeps Foundation has joined forces with America SCORES Bay Area (ASBA) to combat the issue of "play deserts" in San Francisco. With a shared commitment to enhancing the quality of play spaces for kids in under-resourced communities, the organizations have announced plans to build or upgrade a total of 14 synthetic turf fields within the city’s public schools. This ambitious project is poised to make a meaningful difference in the lives of over 4,000 students annually over the next decade.
The initiative will represent a $1.9 million investment into the city’s play infrastructure, significantly improving the accessibility and quality of recreation facilities for children who currently lack suitable options nearby. According to Dr. Mimi Nartey, President of the Playing for Keeps Foundation, “A play desert is a community where children have little or no access to quality places to play.” She emphasizes that quality fields are essential, serving not just as leisure spaces but as vital elements of childhood development, allowing children to engage in physical activity, make friends, and explore their potential.
Through this partnership, the organizations aim to uplift communities where children have been denied adequate play areas, especially where maintaining natural grass fields can be impractical. The Playing for Keeps Foundation focuses on sustainable play spaces, bringing together diverse stakeholders—including philanthropy, industry, schools, and youth organizations—to fund the necessary infrastructure that fosters active play.
America SCORES Bay Area has been actively improving schoolyard conditions for more than a decade, utilizing its Field of Dreams program to transform worn-out asphalt into welcoming sports fields. With this new partnership, they hope to expand their reach and impact, increasing the number of fields available to children across more neighborhoods. As Colin Schmidt, CEO of America SCORES Bay Area, expressed, “We know what happens when you replace asphalt with a field kids can actually use. Our partnership with Playing for Keeps gives us a chance to think bigger, with thousands of students and a model built to grow.”
So far, six of the 14 projects have completed the transformation of old asphalt yards into functional sports fields that are actively serving students. The remaining eight projects—which include one new field and seven replacements—are currently planned or underway, with expected completion dates extending into 2027. Notably, the schools involved in the project will incur no cost, allowing them to utilize their limited budgets for other essential needs.
To ensure safety and sustainability, the synthetic turf utilized in this project, TenCate Pivot® Performance Turf, was carefully chosen for its durability and environmental friendliness. This material does not incorporate crumb-rubber infill, is free from PFAS chemicals, and qualifies for recycling at the end of its life cycle. For schools with tight maintenance budgets, these durable fields promise to provide consistent outdoor play options throughout the academic year, an essential need for fostering youth development.
The schools set to receive enhanced play areas include institutions like Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy, New Traditions Creative Arts Elementary, and Willie L. Brown Jr. Middle School, among others. Each of these institutions will gain fields that are set to encourage active participation from students while serving as community hubs for recreational activities.
The foundation's ongoing work in San Francisco is just one dimension of its broader goal to ensure play equity, which posits that a child’s living area should not dictate their access to recreational opportunities. Dr. Nartey, who has a personal connection to the impact of sports, as a successful former professional soccer player, advocates passionately for the potential transformation that accessible play spaces can bring to children’s lives. She reflects, “Sport changed the trajectory of my life because I had access to a field and an opportunity to play. There are children with just as much potential who have never had that opportunity.”
The partnership between Playing for Keeps and America SCORES Bay Area shines a light on the pressing need for accessible play spaces within urban communities, tackling both social and environmental issues simultaneously. It aims to shift the narrative surrounding childhood development and recreational access, ensuring that every child can experience the joy and growth that comes from having a place to play. For more details on this initiative and to stay updated on its progress, visit the respective websites of the organizations involved.
About Playing for Keeps Foundation: A nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to high-quality play spaces in under-resourced areas, ensuring equitable recreational opportunities for all children.
About America SCORES Bay Area: Combining soccer, poetry, and service, this nonprofit fosters youth development and leadership through engaging after-school programs available free to participating children and families.
The initiative will represent a $1.9 million investment into the city’s play infrastructure, significantly improving the accessibility and quality of recreation facilities for children who currently lack suitable options nearby. According to Dr. Mimi Nartey, President of the Playing for Keeps Foundation, “A play desert is a community where children have little or no access to quality places to play.” She emphasizes that quality fields are essential, serving not just as leisure spaces but as vital elements of childhood development, allowing children to engage in physical activity, make friends, and explore their potential.
Through this partnership, the organizations aim to uplift communities where children have been denied adequate play areas, especially where maintaining natural grass fields can be impractical. The Playing for Keeps Foundation focuses on sustainable play spaces, bringing together diverse stakeholders—including philanthropy, industry, schools, and youth organizations—to fund the necessary infrastructure that fosters active play.
America SCORES Bay Area has been actively improving schoolyard conditions for more than a decade, utilizing its Field of Dreams program to transform worn-out asphalt into welcoming sports fields. With this new partnership, they hope to expand their reach and impact, increasing the number of fields available to children across more neighborhoods. As Colin Schmidt, CEO of America SCORES Bay Area, expressed, “We know what happens when you replace asphalt with a field kids can actually use. Our partnership with Playing for Keeps gives us a chance to think bigger, with thousands of students and a model built to grow.”
So far, six of the 14 projects have completed the transformation of old asphalt yards into functional sports fields that are actively serving students. The remaining eight projects—which include one new field and seven replacements—are currently planned or underway, with expected completion dates extending into 2027. Notably, the schools involved in the project will incur no cost, allowing them to utilize their limited budgets for other essential needs.
To ensure safety and sustainability, the synthetic turf utilized in this project, TenCate Pivot® Performance Turf, was carefully chosen for its durability and environmental friendliness. This material does not incorporate crumb-rubber infill, is free from PFAS chemicals, and qualifies for recycling at the end of its life cycle. For schools with tight maintenance budgets, these durable fields promise to provide consistent outdoor play options throughout the academic year, an essential need for fostering youth development.
The schools set to receive enhanced play areas include institutions like Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy, New Traditions Creative Arts Elementary, and Willie L. Brown Jr. Middle School, among others. Each of these institutions will gain fields that are set to encourage active participation from students while serving as community hubs for recreational activities.
The foundation's ongoing work in San Francisco is just one dimension of its broader goal to ensure play equity, which posits that a child’s living area should not dictate their access to recreational opportunities. Dr. Nartey, who has a personal connection to the impact of sports, as a successful former professional soccer player, advocates passionately for the potential transformation that accessible play spaces can bring to children’s lives. She reflects, “Sport changed the trajectory of my life because I had access to a field and an opportunity to play. There are children with just as much potential who have never had that opportunity.”
The partnership between Playing for Keeps and America SCORES Bay Area shines a light on the pressing need for accessible play spaces within urban communities, tackling both social and environmental issues simultaneously. It aims to shift the narrative surrounding childhood development and recreational access, ensuring that every child can experience the joy and growth that comes from having a place to play. For more details on this initiative and to stay updated on its progress, visit the respective websites of the organizations involved.
About Playing for Keeps Foundation: A nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to high-quality play spaces in under-resourced areas, ensuring equitable recreational opportunities for all children.
About America SCORES Bay Area: Combining soccer, poetry, and service, this nonprofit fosters youth development and leadership through engaging after-school programs available free to participating children and families.
Topics People & Culture）
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