IMPACT Parks, a PlayCore Collaborative based in Chattanooga, serves philanthropists, corporations, and organizations throughout the entire country. IMPACT Parks’ mission is to connect funding partners with communities to build outdoor spaces that demonstrate measurable impact on health and wellness..
"By working with IMPACT Parks, organizations can create positive brand awareness, promote healthy, equitable communities, and receive measurable data to show the impact their contribution is having on the community,” says Bob Barron, executive director of IMPACT Parks.
Through its collaboration with PlayCore, IMPACT Parks utilizes evidence-based design and research combined with the most comprehensive portfolio of innovative products, programs, and services, to build healthy communities through play and recreation.
“We are able to bring philanthropists’ visions of a recreation environment to life through a turnkey process. This personalized approach makes it easy to create a CSR campaign that’s focused on making a measurable and long-lasting difference in a community,” says Barron.
More than 100 million people in America are lacking access to parks within a 10-minute walking distance from their home. IMPACT Parks is seeking to cultivate relationships with companies that desire to make a lasting change through giving back. According to Better Business Journey, 88% of consumers were more likely to buy from a company that supports and engages in activities to improve society. Working with IMPACT Parks allows companies to continue to build their brand and gain innovative and insightful data pertaining to their park project. Barron added “The data to show impact is missing in a lot of CSR projects. We aim to close that loop with data reporting to help companies demonstrate the impact their philanthropy has made.”
An IMPACT Parks park is a physical reminder of communal dedication to health and wellness and civic engagement. Parks promote diversity, equity, and inclusion by offering diverse outdoor environments that provide opportunities for critical thinking, open communication, and am increased sense of community. Parks also encourage physical activity and regular exercise; studies have shown frequency of exercise and park use are closely related to park proximity and access to free equipment. The inclusion of parks in communities also stimulates economic activity, and national recreation agencies are currently providing more than 1.1 million jobs. Exposure to nature, which can occur while spending time at parks, is linked to improvements in mental health, such as attention span, better moods, and lower stress.
“Parks are a baseline indicator for the health of a community,” says Barron. “You can often look at the health of parks and get a quick read on the health of the city or community.”
Learn more about IMPACT parks and check out project success stories by visiting impactparks.com
