Our Mission and Goals
At Back to Play, our core mission is to foster the growth and development of children by harnessing their innate desire to play. We believe that play is not just a pastime; it's a powerful tool for learning, social interaction, and personal growth. To achieve our mission, we have set goals:
Youth and Family Support Services
We've started our office project. We anticipate finishing by end of April 2024. We will also be adding a quiet area and calming corner for families to use during open play.
Bark to Play!
Incorporating therapy dogs in the playroom during scheduled hours for emotional regulation and animal assisted support; we're working behind the scenes with Pawsitive Principles and searching for the perfect grant to have a furry support during open play!
CPR and First Aid Courses
EMS provided CPR and First Aid courses available quarterly; our aim is to educate parents, family members, foster parents, and professionals with grant funded heart-health cards.
Community Support Groups
We plan to expand our current community groups with therapist led meetings to support single parents, neurodivergent families, post-partum, and any others that our community expresses a need
Parent Education
Free or low cost courses for biological parents working towards reunification in foster care services, as well as co-parenting and attachment solution based parenting education for our general community. Stay tuned for updates in 2024!
Foster Care and Domestic Visit Location
We aim to host case workers, volunteers, and court approved supervisors for family visitation in a more engaging and supportive play space for families
Our
Projects
Back to Play is dedicated to community enrichment and collaboration. We strive to create vibrant and welcoming spaces that foster growth, engagement, and connection among individuals of all ages. Through a range of projects and initiatives, we aim to improve the quality of our shared environment.
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Amid the fun and play in our facility, we understand the importance of providing a non-stimulating space. Our goal is to use our back office room as a quiet seating area for both caregivers and children. We recognize a need for seclusion for breastfeeding/pumping families, neurodivergent individuals, and infants, among others.
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As we embark on these endeavors, our mission remains clear: to help children thrive through their natural desire to play. We hope to cultivate an inclusive environment that empowers youth and families to explore, learn, and flourish. Join us in our journey as we continue to transform our playroom and incorporate more resources!
Playroom Aesthetics
Starting with the foundation, we will be repainting our concreate floors giving them new life for both looks and sanitization measures. Our sensory play area and bathrooms will precede the open play room. We're committed to visually pleasing spaces, while respecting different preferences. This is evident in our efforts to update our bathrooms to ensure both functionality and aesthetics.
Office Buildout for Supportive Services
Recognizing the needs for sustainable operations and additional services, we are planning to build office spaces available for sublease, not only for generating funds but also forging collaborative partnerships within our community and providing more resources for families. Youth professionals and family specialists will have the opportunity to utilize the playroom to increase the impact of their services.
Older Youth Initiative
In recognizing the needs of older youth, we're creating a dedicated area designed to cater to their interests and development. It will be a counter space for board games, STEM kits, art projects, and more for children 7+ to explore. Speaking of exploration, physical play is also important, so we're budgeting to introduce new climbing equipment that encourages movement and nurtures a sense of accomplishment for all ages. Our current indoor wooden fort through Cedar Works has the opportunity to be expanded with monkey bars, rock wall, and more! We hope to raise funding towards this project during our fundraising events held in March and September 2024!
