PORTLAND, July 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - The Portland community was revitalized today
thanks to a new playground built at The Salvation Army Gresham
Corps. In less than eight hours, more than 200 volunteers from
Foresters FinancialTM, The Salvation Army Gresham Corps
and non-profit KaBOOM! created the new play space, which will serve
more than 1,000 children and their families in the local community
for years to come.
"We believe in enriching lives and building strong communities –
that's our purpose," said Tony
Garcia, President and CEO, Foresters Financial. "Playgrounds
are important to communities, providing a public space where
children can play safely, families can spend quality time and the
community can come together. An investment in a playground is an
investment in community, and we are happy to provide the
Portland community with a place
that families can enjoy for 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 May
when community members met with organizers from KaBOOM! and
Foresters Financial to design their dream playground. The drawings
inspired the final playground design.
Foresters Financial, an international financial services
provider, helps families reach their financial goals, protect
themselves and make a lasting difference in their communities. This
year, Foresters and KaBOOM! are proudly celebrating the 10 year
anniversary of their partnership. Since 2006, Foresters has
invested more than $11.5 million with
KaBOOM! to build more than 130 playgrounds – including 3 in
Oregon - across the US and
Canada by the end of 2016. Over
their 15-year lifespan, these playgrounds will provide more than
4.5 million children and their families with an opportunity to
spend quality time together and enhance family well-being.
"What an honor and a privilege it is to be a part of bringing
this new playground to our Rockwood
Community," says Captain Matthew
Madsen. "The more we can engage and encourage families
and kids to play together and stay safe, the better. We are
looking forward to seeing many happy faces playing there this
summer."
Green spaces and safe play structures where children and
families can enjoy and spend time together are sparse in many high
density communities. Playing outdoors is an important part of every
child's healthy development and the creation of this new playground
will allow thousands of children to play safely and be active in
their community.
Foresters Financial is a KaBOOM! Founding Partner and National
Partner. Since 1996, KaBOOM! has been dedicated to the bold goal of
ensuring that all children get the balance of active play they need
to become healthy and successful adults because #playmatters.
The Salvation Army Gresham Corps
The Salvation Army,
an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established
in London in 1865, has been
supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 130
years in the United States. Nearly
30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army
each year through the broadest array of social services that range
from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims,
assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill,
clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for
underprivileged children. 82 cents of
every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those
services in 5,000 communities nationwide. The Salvation Army works
in 127 countries worldwide. For more information, or to make
a donation, visit us online at www.salvationarmygresham.org. People
wishing to make monetary donations can do so by calling
503.238.GIVE (4483), (503) 794-3200, or by mail, The Salvation
Army, 8495 SE Monterey Avenue, Happy
Valley, OR 97086-7844.
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 $34
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.
1in Canadian dollars as of December 31, 2015
KaBOOM!
KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated
to giving all kids – particularly those growing up in poverty in
America – the childhood they deserve filled with balanced and
active play, so they can thrive. Since 1996, KaBOOM! has
collaborated with partners to build, open, or improve nearly 16,300
playgrounds, engaged more than one million volunteers, and served
8.1 million kids. KaBOOM! creates great places to play, inspires
communities to promote and support play, and works to drive the
national discussion about the importance of play in fostering
healthy and productive lives. To learn why #playmatters and why
cities are embracing #playability: visit kaboom.org or
join the conversation at twitter.com/kaboom or
facebook.com/kaboom.
SOURCE Foresters