Playtime Project

We are getting ready to distribute this year's Back-to-School backpacks filled with school supplies - but we still need a few more backpack donations! You can donate one, or a few, directly from our online registry here: https://bit.ly/backpacksforplaytime

When you see the smiles on children's faces once they receive their brand new backpack, you will be glad you donated!

Playtime's Summer PlayKits have been delivered! 😎 These kits include summer-themed games, toys, and activities like mini beach balls and bubble wands for children and families to enjoy wherever they are.

Interested in volunteering to assemble PlayKits? Learn about at Playtime by joining an online training on July 30th: https://bit.ly/volunteer-training-signup

Another incredible Summer Camp week is in the books! Our Olympics-themed DC camp included races, Minute-to-Win-It challenges, crafting origami rings and torches, a yoga class, a trip to the National Children's Museum, and more. Thank you to all the guests, volunteers, children and families, and to D.C. United for donating water bottles and rally towels! As one child said, "I was ready to play on the first day!"

To learn about volunteering at camps like this and at weekly programs, join an upcoming Volunteer Orientation/Play Ranger training: https://bit.ly/volunteer-training-signup

Playtime's next Volunteer Orientation/Play Ranger Training is coming up soon! Register for the July 30th online session from 6-8 pm at https://bit.ly/volunteer-training-signup

This year, marks 10 years since Relisha was abducted from the D.C. General homeless shelter. Playtime Project will continue to bring attention to Relisha and all the other missing children who have or are at risk of falling through the cracks of the social safety net.

🩷 Read about some of our memories of Relisha: https://bit.ly/relisha-memories

Summer Camp for Playtime's DC programs is in full swing! 🏅 For this Olympics-themed camp, children decorated their own name tag medals, had a cup tournament, yoga class, and plenty of outdoor play. Thanks to D.C. United, the children stayed hydrated using the water bottles they donated. Thank you, DC United!

Want to at Playtime programs like this? Register for a volunteer training here: https://bit.ly/volunteer-training-signup

Playtime's school-based programs have come to a close for the summer, but we ended the school season with a water fight, hula hoop competition, and making ice cream. 🍧

The fun doesn't end there--Summer Camp for DC programs started this week! Stay tuned for fun, Olympics-themed camp photos and videos.

A new month brings new volunteer trainings! Playtime is hosting TWO Orientation/Play Ranger Trainings on Saturday, July 13th from 10 am-12 pm and on Tuesday, July 30th from 6-8 pm, both online.

These engaging trainings will make sure you have all the info and knowledge needed to serve Playtime children and families to the best of your ability.

🔶 Register at https://bit.ly/volunteer-training-signup 🔶

How do we know takes a long-term toll on children's health? A new study that measured children's outcomes from birth to age 15 shows higher levels of depression and anxiety by age 15 than children who were not housing insecure. Take a quick 3-minute listen for the full story on NPR.
https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/07/01/nx-s1-5019537/housing-insecurity-childhood-health-depression-anxiety

When little kids don’t have stable housing, it can affect their health later Researchers following a group of American children for decades found that even short periods of housing instability increased the chances of poor mental and physical health years later.

Playtime Project wishes you a fun and safe Independence Day!

Playtime is in the news! Board member, former Play Ranger, and professor at Trinity Washington University, Dr. Cynthia Greer, talked about the Kaiser Permanente Practitioner Scholars Development Program where she is a facilitator.

The program is for school and clinical-based mental health professionals. It came out of the tragic abduction of from the former D.C. General homeless shelter, where Playtime held programs for children living there, including Relisha.

https://www.washingtoninformer.com/local-mental-health-practitioners-extol-professional-development-program/

Local Mental Health Practitioners Extol Professional Development Program This partnership between Kaiser Permanente and Trinity Washington University strives to equip mental health professionals with the tools needed to effectively serve marginalized youth, particularly those living in communities east of the Anacostia River.

Don't forget to register for Wednesday's info session! Join us on July 3 from 1-2 pm to learn about at Playtime Project's one-of-a-kind Summer Camps.

Register here: https://playtimeproject.org/volunteer/orientation-2-calendar.html/event/2024/07/03/playtime-summer-camp-info-session-/488694

Summer camp volunteers needed!! If you have at least one full day to spare (9 am-3 pm) we could use your support this summer. Playtime summer camp in NW DC is from July 8-12 and from August 22-26 in Greenbelt, MD.

Summer Camp is an extra fun and unique experience, with field trips, special guests, and new games and activities - all -themed!

☀️ If you're interested, email [email protected] for more info on our July 3rd info session.

Summer camp volunteers needed!! If you have at least one full day to spare (9 am-3 pm) we could use your support this summer. Playtime summer camp in NW DC is from July 8-12 and from August 22-26 in Greenbelt, MD.

Summer Camp is an extra fun and unique experience, with field trips, special guests, and new games and activities - all -themed!

☀️ If you're interested, email [email protected] for more info on our July 3rd info session.

We always miss families when they leave a shelter where we have programs, but we are also so happy for them. Even though they may no longer be in a Playtime program, we try to stay in touch to further support them on their journey to housing stability.

Learn more about what we offer to families experiencing housing insecurity: https://playtimeproject.org/what-we-do/for-parents/

Playtime Project hosted two fun guests at one of our program sites recently. Alison, an art teacher, kept the children's creativity flowing and Kevin brought his guitar for a sing-a-long. 👩‍🎨🧑‍🎤

Guests are perfect for giving the children in our programs new or different experiences and keeping them engaged. Do you have a skill or talent you'd like to share with Playtime children experiencing housing insecurity? Let us know! https://playtimeproject.org/volunteer/

Playtime staff had a great time at the D.C. United match yesterday! ⚽ Thank you to our longtime partner, DC United, for inviting us. We got to speak to so many people and share Playtime's work bringing to children experiencing housing insecurity.

Playtime observes today, celebrating freedom and working towards a world where all children have access to transformative play.

Did you know, transition age youth (ages 18-24) experiencing homelessness are more likely than older adults to identify as LGBTQ+? A key contributing factor to youth experiencing homelessness is conflict with a parent, guardian, or foster parent. In DC, 34% of unaccompanied youth identified at LGBTQ+ in comparison to 9% of youth overall. Read more: https://www.washingtonblade.com/2024/05/29/homeless-adults-identify-lgbtq-12-percent/

This is why organizations like Playtime are so important. We provide support to children experiencing housing insecurity with the goal of preventing them from becoming young adults experiencing or . To learn about becoming a volunteer, register for our June 22nd training: https://bit.ly/volunteer-training-signup

Haven't been able to fit a Playtime volunteer training into your schedule yet? Well, this month we are hosting combined Volunteer Orientation/Play Ranger Trainings on Saturdays. Join us THIS Saturday, June 22 from 10 am-12 pm to learn about all at Playtime and to receive training to become a Play Ranger at our (mostly) weekly play programs.

🫶 Check the training calendar and register here: https://bit.ly/volunteer-training-signup

"Toys are not really as innocent as they look. Toys and games are the prelude to serious ideas.” Charles Eames

🔗 https://playtimeproject.org/what-we-do/

If you missed the last volunteer training, don't worry! There's one more this month, on Saturday, June 22 from 10 am-12 pm online. This is for anyone who wants to learn more about with Playtime, and anyone who wants to receive Play Ranger training to work with children in our weekly DC and Prince George's County programs.

⭐ Register to attend: https://bit.ly/volunteer-training-signup

We had a great time at Capital Pride this past weekend! Did you stop by and see us in the Family Area? Playtime had rainbow glitter jars, rainbow face paint, and games for the children. There were even mermaids!

Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ Playtime Project will once again be at Capital Pride in the Family Area at Stead Park. Stop by with your children on Saturday, June 8th between 10-3 for fun games and activities like rainbow glitter jars, rainbow face paint, beach balls, and more. https://www.capitalpride.org/event/parade-2024/

Join a virtual Volunteer Orientation/Play Ranger Training THIS Saturday at 10 am!

If you haven't been able to make it to an orientation during the week, now is your chance to take advantage of it on a Saturday. Learn about all the ways you can support children experiencing in DC and Prince George's County as a Playtime Project volunteer AND receive the training needed to become a Play Ranger at our weekly programs.

⭐️ Register here: https://bit.ly/volunteer-training-signup

You are amazing! 🥰 The Spring Campaign has ended and we have not only met our goal, but blew right past it! You collectively raised over $64K total and unlocked 3 matching gifts. That amount will go such a long way in helping us continue to provide high-quality, transformative play programs for children experiencing .

Thank you to everyone who donated and shared the campaign with your networks. A special thank you to our matching donors, The SuPau Trust, Dork Diaries authors Rachel and Nikki Russell, and our very own board member! The consistent support of the Playtime community continues to amaze us.

We are almost there! In the last days of Playtime's Spring Campaign, can you help us raise another $10K so we can unlock a $10K match from Dork Diaries authors, Rachel and Nikki Russell?

The campaign ends May 31st and we've already seen so much generosity and support for the children in our play programs. Don't miss your last chance to make your donation go twice as far!

Give the gift of play and unlock $10K: https://bit.ly/springcampaign24

"Dork Diaries" authors Rachel and Nikki Russell understand the importance of reading for children- that's why they pledged a $10k matching donation to support Playtime's work! 📖 Once we raise another $10K for our Spring Campaign, the match will be unlocked, making your donation 2X as impactful.

Give the gift of play and unlock $10K: bit.ly/springcampaign24 (Link in bio)

We have surpassed our $60K Spring Campaign goal! 🎆 We are overwhelmed by the generosity of the Playtime community once again. Thank you for not just showing your support of Playtime children and families, but also taking action. However, we're not done!

Dork Diaries authors, Rachel and Nikki Russell, have pledged a $10K matching gift! Even though we reached our goal, there is still a long way to go to meet the need for healing play in DC and Prince George's County. Another $20K will make a big difference - can you share this with your friends and family today?

Give the gift of play and unlock $10K: https://bit.ly/springcampaign24

Do you plan to enjoy time outdoors this weekend? 🌿 By donating any amount to the Spring Campaign, you will help local children experiencing gain access to healthy outdoor play through Playtime programs. Plus, your gift will be DOUBLED if we can unlock a $10,000 match - we are over halfway there!

Please consider taking a moment this weekend to give, doubling your donation and your impact: https://bit.ly/springcampaign24