Congratulations to the 2013 Playful City USA Communities!

217 cities and towns earned recognition from national non-profit KaBOOM! as 2013 Playful City USA communities for their efforts to give children the childhood they deserve by providing ample opportunities for play. Sponsored by the Humana Foundation, Playful City USA is a national program from KaBOOM! that celebrates and promotes local policies that increase play opportunities for children and is a key platform in combating the lack of play among children.

The Playful City USA program succeeds in benefitting children through the great work of mayors, city council members, parks and recreation departments, school districts and community leaders. Playful City USA communities are making a commitment to play and physical activity by developing unique local action plans to increase the quantity and quality of play in their community.

The criteria for the Playful Cities USA Program aligns with Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties Goal V: Active of Kids of Play, which asks local elected officials to commit to mapping local playspaces, completing a needs assessment, developing an action plan and launching a minimum of three proven policies, programs or initiatives aimed at increasing access to play.

For more information on the KaBOOM! Playful City USA program, including Let’s Play grants and applications for 2014, visit www.playfulcityusa.org.

We’d like to give a special congratulations to our LMCTC sites being recognized as 2013 Playful City USA Communities:

Allentown, Pa.; Amory, Miss.; Baltimore, Md.; Baton Rouge, La.; Bethlehem, Pa.; Birmingham, Ala.; Bloomington, Ind.; Broomfield, Colo.; Camden, S.C.; Casa Grande, Ariz.; Chicago, Ill.; College Park, Ga.; Columbus, Ohio; Coral Gables, Fla.; Davenport, Iowa; Fargo, N.D.; Forest Heights, Md.; Greenbelt, Md.; Greenville, S.C.; Hernando, Miss.; Independence, Mo.; Jackson, Miss.; Kenmore, Wash.; Meriden, Conn.; Missoula, Mont.; New Orleans, La.; New Roads, La.; Norfolk, Va.; Northglenn, Colo.; Oakland Park, Fla.; Okolona, Miss.; Orlando, Fla.; Pierre, S.D.; Pinecrest, Fla.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Providence, R.I.; Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; Riverside, Calif.; Safety Harbor, Fla.; San Antonio, Texas; Savannah, Ga.; Starkville, Miss; Tamarac, Fla.; Tampa, Fla.; Thornton, Colo.; Tucson, Ariz.; Williamstown, Ky.; and York, Pa.