Foresters Financial, KaBOOM! and volunteers bring families together with new playground at Hostos Charter School

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - The Philadelphia community was revitalized today thanks to a new playground built at Hostos Charter School. In less than eight hours, more than 200 volunteers from Foresters Financial^TM, Aspira Inc. of Pennsylvania Schools and non-profit KaBOOM! created the new play space, which will serve more than 1,400 children and their families in the local community for years to come.

"We believe in enriching lives and building strong communities – that's our purpose," said Tony Garcia, President and CEO, Foresters Financial. "Playgrounds are important to communities, providing a public space where children can play safely, families can spend quality time and the community can come together. An investment in a playground is an investment in community, and we are happy to provide the Philadelphia community with a place that families can enjoy for years to come."

The design for the new playground is based on drawings created by neighborhood children at a special Design Day event held in June when community members met with organizers from KaBOOM! and Foresters Financial to design their dream playground. The drawings inspired the final playground design.

Foresters Financial, an international financial services provider, helps families reach their financial goals, protect themselves and make a lasting difference in their communities. This year, Foresters and KaBOOM! are proudly celebrating the 10 year anniversary of  their partnership. Since 2006, Foresters has invested more than $11.5 million with KaBOOM! to build more than 130 playgrounds – including 3 in Pennsylvania - across the US and Canada by the end of 2016. Over their 15-year lifespan, these playgrounds will provide more than 4.5 million children and their families with an opportunity to spend quality time together and enhance family well-being.

"Research continually shows the tremendous benefits of exercise and play for kids of all ages," said John Seman, K-8 Athletics Director for ASPIRA of PA Schools. "Encouraging healthy lifestyles is a big part of our educational model, which focuses on all aspects of a child's development. We're incredibly grateful for the support of Foresters and KaBOOM! on this project, and we're outlining a plan for community involvement and other school initiatives to make full use of this new resource to benefit Hostos Charter and other ASPIRA Schools."

Green spaces and safe play structures where children and families can enjoy and spend time together are sparse in many high density communities. Playing outdoors is an important part of every child's healthy development and the creation of this new playground will allow thousands of children to play safely and be active in their community.

Foresters Financial is a KaBOOM! Founding Partner and National Partner. Since 1996, KaBOOM! has been dedicated to the bold goal of ensuring that all children get the balance of active play they need to become healthy and successful adults because #playmatters.

Aspira Inc. of Pennsylvania Schools
ASPIRA Inc. of Pennsylvania Schools are community-based and serve nearly 4,000 students in North Philadelphia. Dedicated to empowering students through advocacy, education and leadership development, our five schools aim to produce multi-cultural, socially conscious individuals motivated to pursue rewarding careers or further education. We provide a comprehensive and supportive educational setting where rigorous teaching and learning is the foundation of high expectations for all. More information can be found online at www.aspirapa.org.

About Foresters Financial
Foresters Financial™ is an international financial services provider with more than three million clients and members in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and total funds under management of $34 billion¹. With a history of more than 140 years, we provide life insurance, savings, retirement and investment solutions that help families achieve their financial goals, protect their families and improve their communities. For more information, visit foresters.com.

Foresters Financial and Foresters are trade names and trademarks of The Independent Order of Foresters (a fraternal benefit society, 789 Don Mills Road, Toronto, Canada M3C 1T9) and its subsidiaries.

Products offered vary by country. Not all products are available for distribution in all jurisdictions. In the United States, products are offered by The Independent Order of Foresters and its subsidiaries, including Foresters Financial Services, Inc. a registered broker-dealer. Securities, life insurance and annuity products are offered through Foresters Financial Services, Inc. or independent producers. Insurance products are issued by Foresters Life Insurance and Annuity Company, New York, or The Independent Order of Foresters. Investment advisory products and services are offered through Foresters Advisory Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser.

KaBOOM!
KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to giving all kids – particularly those growing up in poverty in America – the childhood they deserve filled with balanced and active play, so they can thrive. Since 1996, KaBOOM! has collaborated with partners to build, open, or improve nearly 16,300 playgrounds, engaged more than one million volunteers, and served 8.1 million kids. KaBOOM! creates great places to play, inspires communities to promote and support play, and works to drive the national discussion about the importance of play in fostering healthy and productive lives. To learn why #playmatters and why cities are embracing #playability: visit kaboom.org or join the conversation at twitter.com/kaboom or facebook.com/kaboom.

¹ in Canadian dollars as of December 31, 2015

SOURCE Foresters

Related Links

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