About Playworks Illinois
All kids deserve the social, emotional, and physical benefits of play. We help schools and youth programs create healthy play environments where every child can join in.
Meet Playworks Illinois
Founded in 1996, Playworks expanded to Illinois in 2011. Playworks Illinois serves low-income schools through our year-round, on-site support services. We’re also reaching thousands more students across Illinois through professional development workshops for schools and youth organizations.
Our Core Values
Meet Our People


April 6, 2022
Alexander Grassi ›
Alexander (Al) Grassi is excited to be back with Playworks in a new role in his hometown of Chicago Illinois! A product of the city’s south side, Al previously spent four transformative years with Playworks Indiana as a two term…


November 14, 2022
Aviva Abrams ›
Aviva graduated from Bradley University in 2020 with her B.S. in Elementary Education with an ESL endorsement. After working as a general education teacher for the past two years, Aviva has decided to continue making a difference through her work…


August 26, 2022
Korie Booker ›
Korie Booker was born in Mount Clemens, Michigan. Like many other youth services workers she took a summer job working with youth at Colin Powell Elementary in Detroit, Michigan. Little did she know that small summer job would shape her…