Falcons Fit & Green Initiative

The Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation and The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, in partnership with Safeplay Systems and Nike, are leading a $600,000 “Falcons Fit & Green” initiative, which will support development of up to 10 green playgrounds in Metro Atlanta in 2009.

The “Falcons Fit & Green” initiative advances the values of the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation, which works to improve youth fitness across Georgia, and the values of the Falcons owner, Arthur Blank, through his family foundation’s Inspiring Spaces program, which works to promote green practices and to increase access to great public spaces. Learn more about the work of the foundations through their 2007 online annual report.

Nike is participating through its Let Me Play campaign, which gives excluded youth around the world a chance to play. As a partner in this effort, Nike will donate shoes and sports equipment to all of the “Falcons Fit & Green” grant recipients. Through its Reuse-A-Shoe program, Nike’s Let Me Play campaign collects and recycles worn out sneakers. The recycled material – Nike Grind – is used to produce rubber and foam surfaces suited to playgrounds and running tracks. Nike will contribute towards a recycled, rubber safety surface to a select number of “Falcons Fit & Green” grant recipients – determined through the competitive grant application process –  enabling these organizations to devote all of the grant funds to the playground equipment itself.

Safeplay Systems, a Marietta-based company, will employ its EcoPlay technology to construct the green playgrounds. EcoPlay equipment is manufactured from post-consumer recycled plastic milk jugs. Not only is EcoPlay a recycled product, it is also recyclable, making it a “sustainable” product. All EcoPlay playground structures are PVC-Free and Fiberglass- Free.

The foundations will invest up to $300,000 in grants for playgrounds. Nike will contribute up to $100,000 in shoes and playground equipment and grants to install their Nike Grind surface. Safeplay Systems will contribute up to $50,000 to provide playground equipment and installation.

The maximum grant award from the foundations will be $30,000. The initiative requires applicants to contribute $15,000 in matching funds. Safeplay Systems will donate $5,000 in equipment or services. Nike will donate $1,000 worth of shoes and sports equipment to each grant recipient. With this funding model, grant recipients will be able to construct playgrounds valued at $51,000 (this includes playground equipment, installation, borders and mulch).

Grant applications and more information are available at  www.AYFY.org.