PlayCore Employee GIVING Program
"We value Community. We Believe™ in enhancing the quality of life in the communities we live, work, and play." Through the Employee Giving Program, PlayCore employees work to bring our mission and values to life. The Employee Giving Program includes the Employee Build Program and PlayCore Days of Caring, as well as other initiatives and fundraisers spearheaded by our employees. In 2007, PlayCore initiated its Employee Build Program at our three original locations, donating playgrounds that were installed entirely by employee and community volunteers. In 2009, we expanded our Employee Giving Program to include all six PlayCore locations through our Days of Caring program that enables employees to participate in service projects that help make a difference in the communities where we live, work, and play. The Days of Caring Program encompasses all six of our locations: Chattanooga, Tennessee; Fort Payne, Alabama; Janesville, Wisconsin; Red Bud, Illinois; Chandler, Arizona; and Mendota Heights, Minnesota. 2009
Fort Payne City Park
CHILDREN'S HoME/CHAMBLISS SHELTER
2008
BELOIT COMMUNITY KIDS LEARNING CENTER
SYLVANIA TOWN PARK
Rivermont Elementary School
2007
YWCA ROCK COUNTY TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM
YWCA Rock County is a not-for-profit agency working to eliminate racism and empower women. Located in Janesville, Wisconsin, their programs address domestic violence and homelessness; child abuse and neglect; safe, affordable childcare; and fostering communities that respect and honor diversity. For more information visit www.ywca.org/rockcounty. The event was featured in the Janesville Gazette on August 18, 2007. Click here for a link to the article: www.gazetteextra.com/ywcaplay081807.asp.
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The first Day of Caring of 2009 took place on March 14 in Fort Payne, Alabama, the location of PlayCore’s Southern Fulfillment Center. Many employee and community volunteers, including Mayor Jordan, braved the rain and gathered at the Fort Payne City Park to pitch in on a playground project. The volunteers removed two previous structures that were donated to non-profit organization Kids Around the World for children in Jamaica and installed new PlayCore playground equipment, including a PlayTime Junction train climber and an Xscape swing structure. The Fort Payne City Park provides a place for children and families in Fort Payne and neighboring communities to come together and play. Click on the following article titles to read articles about the PlayCore Day of Caring in Fort Payne. Click to read 
The Day of Caring in Chattanooga, Tennessee took place on April 25 near PlayCore’s headquarters at the 
The first employee build of 2008 took place on August 23 in Beloit, Wisconsin, a town near PlayCore's Swing-N-Slide manufacturing facility. Many community and employee volunteers pitched in to build a new playground for the children of the Beloit Community Kids Learning Center. Community Kids provides childcare and developmentally appropriate education focused on "learning, nurturing, and growth" for newborn through age five children as part of Community Action, Inc., a not-for-profit organization offering programs to fight poverty in Rock and Walworth Counties, Wisconsin. Volunteers from PlayCore, Community Action, Inc., and members of the Beloit community participated in this rewarding playground project.
Sylvania Town Park is a large community park serving the town of Sylvania, Alabama and visitors to the adjacent Dekalb County Public Lake and is near PlayCore's Southern Fulfillment Center. The park was in desperate need of new playground equipment until it was selected for PlayCore's 2008 Employee Build Program. On September 6, many volunteers from PlayCore, Kids Around the World, and members of the community met at the park to help install the new playground. The cutting edge playground equipment was specially designed for the children and families who use the park and will provide a much-needed place for youth in the community to come together and play.
The final Employee Build of 2008 took place on September 20 at Rivermont Elementary School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the home of PlayCore's headquarters. The project was a collaborative effort of many committed volunteers from PlayCore and other community groups, including the North River Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club of Chattanooga, Rivermont Presbyterian Church, and others. Before PlayCore and the North River Rotary Club helped make a dream come true for Rivermont Elementary, the school's playground was ranked among the worst in the county, and the school had very little funding for improvements. The new playground, complete with state-of-the-art components, will impact the lives of students and bring families from the community together in a common play space.
The first employee build of 2007 took place on September 22 in Janesville, Wisconsin, home to PlayCore's Swing-N-Slide manufacturing facility. More than thirty community and employee volunteers gathered in downtown Janesville to build a new playground for the children and families of the YWCA Rock County Transitional Living Program. The Transitional Living Program offers a year of affordable housing and supportive services to help survivors of domestic violence get back on their feet. Adult and child survivors make the transition from crisis to self-sufficiency with individual case management, support groups, employment readiness coaching, subsidized childcare, and other services. Support for Transitional Living and other YWCA programs are provided by donations from corporations, foundations and individuals, United Way, government grants, and special events. .jpg)
The final build of 2007 took place at Shaw Park in Chattanooga's historic Highland Park neighborhood. The project was a collaborative effort between PlayCore employees, neighborhood volunteers, and members of the Junior League of Chattanooga. More than 40 volunteers assembled on October 27 to complete the new playground for the children and families of Highland Park.
Highland Park is an eclectic neighborhood full of renewed energy and excitement. It aspires to be a racially and economically diverse, harmonious community that attracts a wide range of people who want to share a sense of community in a historic urban neighborhood. The Highland Park Neighborhood Association (HPNA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization representing the interests of the Highland Park residents. Founded in 1996, HPNA is recognized as one of the strongest organizations of its kind in Chattanooga and has a solid network of residents and city leaders dedicated to enriching the lives of Highland Park's diverse community. To learn more about Highland Park visit 
The Junior League of Chattanooga’s Healthy Starts Initiative is an unprecedented 5-year, million-dollar initiative to change the way the community thinks about children’s health. Healthy Starts is a collaborative partnership between the Junior League and the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department, READ Chattanooga, and Ronald McDonald House Charities/T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital in response to demonstrated challenges to children’s health in Hamilton County including childhood obesity, low-birth weight, and preventable disease. Through trained volunteers and dedicated coalitions, the League is committed to leading change regarding choices made and habits formed early in life. Through Eat Smart, Baby Basics, and the Care Mobile/SmartMoovz, the League will have a positive impact on the health of children and the future of families. The Junior League intends for the programs and partnerships of the Healthy Starts initiative to have a powerful impact on the health of Chattanooga’s families. To learn more visit 
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