Our Mission

Every child deserves a safe place to play.

Every child should know the feeling of playing outside without a second thought, making friends at the park down the street, and losing track of time in the sun. That's what childhood is supposed to look like. But nationwide, low-income neighborhoods and communities of color have 45% less park space than their wealthier counterparts, meaning too many kids grow up without anywhere close to home to play. We believe where a child lives should never decide whether they get to play. So we're working to bring parks and green space to the neighborhoods that need them most, because every child deserves a place to be a kid.

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We Envision

A future where every child has space to grow — through play and sport that strengthen the body, challenge the mind, and nurture confidence and resilience. A world where participation builds health, belonging, and hope.

We Promise

To advocate for safe, accessible spaces where every child — regardless of zip code, income, or background — can experience the joy, growth, and lifelong benefits of sports.

The Problem We’re Solving

The Play Equity Gap Is Real — and Growing

Youth sports are increasingly pay-to-play, with average family spending topping $1,000 per child annually. Community recreation systems are more underfunded than ever. Children from lower-income households are 2–3 times less likely to participate in organized sports. Nationwide, low income neighborhoods and communities of color both have 45% less park space than their wealthier counterparts, according to the Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore index.

When field capacity declines, children aren’t redirected to safer alternatives. They simply play less. And that reduction carries measurable, documented health consequences.

Our Values

Playing for Keeps.

Equity

Play should not be a privilege. We center the communities with the least access and the most to gain. Zip code should never determine a child’s future — and we are here to make sure it doesn’t.

Evidence

Our work is grounded in science. We engage policy debates with rigor, nuance, and data — not fear or ideology. The president of our organization has a doctorate in public health and a career in environmental science. We bring that to every table.

Sustainability

We invest in infrastructure that lasts — environmentally, economically, and for the communities we serve. Modern turf, done right, delivers on all three.

Activation

A field without programming is just a surface. We build systems, not just spaces — pairing every installation with the partners, planning, and purpose that make it thrive.

Ruthless Optimism

We refuse to accept that inequity is inevitable. Change is possible, and we are committed to engineering it.

Community

We don’t build for communities — we build with them. Every field, every partnership, and every decision is shaped by the people who will live with the results.

Play spaces are a preventative health infrastructure. Community is built on shared space. Children who move, thrive. That’s not idealism — it’s science. And it’s why we show up every day.

Our Work In Action.

America Scores Bay Area Partnership
San Francisco, California
A schoolyard can be more than a place for recess. In San Francisco, Playing for Keeps and America SCORES Bay Area are working with school and community partners to expand access to welcoming play spaces and the programs that help young people grow.