Aspen supports the Rochester Area Community Foundation as it activates State of Play Greater Rochester & the Finger Lakes in Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates Counties.

Since the release of the State of Play report in 2017, the initiative has made significant progress in the following ways:

• The Community Foundation has distributed $650,000+ in grants from Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Fund for Youth Sports, and supported the implementation of Built to Play grants, including the Play Everywhere “Corridor of Play” and the Roc City Skatepark, as featured in the State of Play: Greater Rochester & the Finger Lakes report.

• The foundation committed to using Project Play’s Teamwork Toolkit to mobilize local organizations for collective action.

• As part of its Project Play Champion commitment, the City of Rochester Department of Recreation and Youth Services pledged to integrate the How To Coach Kids course into all annual coach training for the 15 community centers in the city, reaching 350 certified coaches annually. This training will provide new and novice coaches (including parent coaches) with an introduction to coaching logistics, as well as sport-specific tools and techniques. In addition, all DRYS athletic programs will integrate the Project Play framework into their programming.

• Through PlayROCs, children, families and neighborhood organizers rallied together throughout Rochester to raise awareness for safe and accessible play spaces for every child. The effort is part of the organization’s commitment to increasing access to quality sport and play activities for all.

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