Playworks Portland is excited to celebrate a $225,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente Northwest’s Community Benefit Program to further Playworks’ goal of increasing opportunities for safe, meaningful play and physical activity. Funds will be used to increase the access, opportunities and impact of play for 20,000 school aged children in the Pacific Northwest region.
“We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with Kaiser Permanente Northwest to help kids be healthy and ready to learn,” says Jonathan Blasher, Playworks Portland executive director. “This support will help us continue our vision of ensuring that every child in the Pacific Northwest gets to experience a great school recess.”
As part of the one-year grant, Kaiser Permanente funds will support Playworks’:
- Training and consultation services at over 40 schools in Cowlitz, Clark, Washington, Marion and Clackamas Counties
- School-based direct service programming at two East Multnomah County schools
- Junior Coach Program and Interscholastic Sports Leagues for 12-18 direct service programs in the Portland metro area
“Kaiser Permanente Northwest is dedicated to improving the health of the communities that we serve. This partnership with Playworks will allow us to support our common efforts in the region and increase the potential for schools to be a center of health, learning and well-being,” remarked Kaiser Community Benefit Manager, Molly Haynes.
The project is set to begin in late August and will continue through the school year, ending in June, 2013. Part of the grant will include opportunities for schools to apply for heavily discounted Playworks Training services beginning in mid-August. Interested in applying? Fill out our Interest Form to get started today.
About Kaiser Permanente Northwest
Kaiser Permanente Northwest is part of the national Kaiser Permanente network, one of America’s leading health care providers and nonprofit health plans. Kaiser Permanente Northwest serves about 480,000 members in northwestern Oregon and Southwest Washington. Through its dedication to care innovations, electronic medical records, clinical research, health education, and community health, Kaiser Permanente is helping shape the future of health care in America. For more information, go to kp.org/newscenter.
About Kaiser Permanente’s Community Benefit program
Kaiser Permanente Northwest’s Community Benefit program contributes millions of dollars each year to support a range of programs, projects, and organizations that contribute to individual and community health. Contributions focus on five broad categories: care and coverage for low-income people, safety net partnerships, community health initiatives, developing and disseminating knowledge, and civic engagement. In 2011, Kaiser Permanente Northwest contributed almost $121 million in cash and in-kind donations to the communities in its service area.
