Sep 9, 2018   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Foresters Financial and KaBOOM! Partner to Increase Play Opportunities for Schenectady Kids

The Schenectady community was revitalized today thanks to a new playground built at Steinmetz Homes. In just six hours, more than 200 volunteers from Foresters Financial™, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Schenectady and the national non-profit KaBOOM! created the new playspace, which will serve more than 1,200 children and their families in the local community for years to come.

"For over 140 years Foresters Financial has focused on our Purpose, which is to help families and strengthen communities," said Jim Boyle, President and CEO, Foresters Financial. "In 2018 we are excited to complete our 150th playground build with KaBOOM!. This partnership creates safe play areas where families can spend quality time together while developing young bodies and minds. We know the Schenectady community will use this playground for many years to come."

The design for the new playground is based on drawings created by neighborhood children at a special Design Day event held in July when community members met with organizers from KaBOOM! and Foresters Financial to design their dream playground. The drawings inspired the final playground design.

“This playground is a dream we could not achieve without the support of KaBOOM! and Foresters Financial,” said Richard Homenick, Executive Director of the Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority. “Bringing kids and parents together to put their ideas on paper and then watch their vision come to life in one day is just something amazing.”

Since 2006, Foresters Financial and KaBOOM! have built over 145 beautiful playspaces across 86 cities in 31 states and provinces throughout North America and by the end of 2018, Foresters Financial will have funded more than 150 playgrounds. Thanks to the hard work of over 9,900 Foresters members, sales partners and guests for the last eleven years, we are positively impacting the lives of more than 5 million children by providing them with access to play. Through each new playground, families are better able to spend quality time together right in their own neighborhoods, playing alongside Foresters members and community partners.

“Having accessible, safe and inviting recreation space is critical to the healthy development of young people,” said Shane Bargy, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Schenectady. “This partnership with KaBOOM! and Foresters is taking care of a huge need for the children in this housing community.”

Play is the business of childhood and is essential to the physical, cognitive, creative, social and emotional development of every kid. It’s how kids build strong muscles and healthy bodies; it’s how they learn problem-solving, conflict resolution and creativity; it’s how they make friends and build strong bonds with adults. Play is critical to a kid’s ability to thrive.

Foresters Financial is a KaBOOM! Founding Partner and National Partner. Since 1996, KaBOOM! has been dedicated to ensuring that all kids get the balance and active play they need to thrive.

About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Schenectady

Since 1936, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Schenectady has served young people from every walk of life, especially vulnerable and youth at risk. Eight decades later, it is the largest youth development organization in Schenectady County serving over 12,000 young people in 18 sites, including four free standing sites, eight school extensions, six city parks, and a 50 acre summer camp in the Helderberg Mountains entitled Camp Lovejoy. The Mission of the organization is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

About Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority

Since our first 217 units in 1938, the Authority has grown to encompass seven conventional housing developments serving a total of 1,018 low-income families. Three properties, Schonowee Village, Ten Eyck Apartments and Lincoln Heights, serve the elderly and disabled, while four other properties, Yates Village, Steinmetz Homes, MacGathan Townhouses and Maryvale Apartments, serve families with children. The Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority’s Section 8 programs serve approximately 1,500 households throughout the City of Schenectady.

About Foresters Financial

Foresters Financial™ is an international financial services provider with more than three million clients and members in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and total funds under management of $45.1 billion1. With a history of more than 140 years, we provide life insurance, savings, retirement and investment solutions that help families achieve their financial goals, protect their families and improve their communities. For more information, visit foresters.com.

Foresters Financial and Foresters are trade names and trademarks of The Independent Order of Foresters (a fraternal benefit society, 789 Don Mills Road, Toronto, Canada M3C 1T9) and its subsidiaries.

Products offered vary by country. Not all products are available for distribution in all jurisdictions. In the United States, products are offered by The Independent Order of Foresters and its subsidiaries, including Foresters Financial Services, Inc. a registered broker-dealer. Securities, life insurance and annuity products are offered through Foresters Financial Services, Inc. or independent producers. Insurance products are issued by Foresters Life Insurance and Annuity Company, New York, or The Independent Order of Foresters. Investment advisory products and services are offered through Foresters Advisory Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser.

1 in Canadian dollars as of December 31, 2017

About KaBOOM!

KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to giving all kids – especially those living in poverty – the childhood they deserve through great, safe places to play. KaBOOM! inspires communities to make play the easy choice and works to drive the national discussion about the importance of PLAYces. KaBOOM! has collaborated with partners to build or improve more than 17,000 playspaces, engaged more than 1.5 million volunteers and served over 9 million kids. To learn why play matters for all kids, visit kaboom.org and join the conversation at twitter.com/kaboom, facebook.com/kaboom and instagram.com/kaboom. #playmatters #PLAYceforKids

414828H CAN/US (03/18)