KaBOOM! How One Man Built a Movement to Save Play

by Hammond, Darell; Brown, Stuart L.

• ISBN13: 9781605290751
• ISBN10: 1605290750
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-04-26
• Publisher: Rodale Books

Summary

Purpose and Play chronicles Darell Hammond's amazing journey from a childhood spent living in a group home in Illinois to becoming the cofounder and CEO of KaBOOM!, an organization with this mission at its core: harnessing the power of community to save play for children . . . one playground at a time. Like The Blue Sweater and Three Cups of Tea, Purpose and Play demonstrates how one idealist can change the world and how small, civic-minded steps create a ripple effect that can precipitate change in communities and eventually change in the world at large. More than just a memoir, Purpose and Play is a call to action that will inspire readers by challenging them to rethink traditional notions of community and social change. This is the story of a man with a vision: Play is the best natural resource in a creative economy. Kids need more of itit is not a luxury but a necessity for their lives. Through hard work, commitment, and the conviction that access to a safe play environment is the fundamental right of all children, Hammond built an organization that has raised almost $200 million, directly built 2,000 playgrounds with a million volunteers, and touched the lives of countless children and families.

Author Biography

DARELL HAMMOND is the founder and CEO of KaBOOM!, an innovative nonprofit based in
Washington, DC, that is saving play by ensuring there is a great place to play within walking
distance of every child in America. Founded out of Hammond’s apartment in 1996, KaBOOM!
has raised $200 million, rallied a million volunteers, led the hands-on construction of
2,000 playgrounds, and inspired a movement for the child’s right to play. Darell and his wife, Kate,
reside in Washington, DC.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. IX
Introduction	p. XI
Looking Out for Other People	p. 1
Half-Full Not Half-Empty	p. 13
The Process Is as Important as the Product	p. 29
A 7-Year-Old's Grin	p. 37
ôWe've Got a Problemö	p. 49
You Can Do Routine Tasks without Doing Them Routinely	p. 67
Audacious Dreams	p. 77
Transactions versus Transformations	p. 91
Play Matters	p. 103
It Only Takes a Single Spark to Start a Fire	p. 117
It Starts with a Playground	p. 137
A Better Us	p. 153
Imagination and Innovation	p. 175
The Blurry Line between For-Profits and Nonprofits	p. 195
What We're Up Against	p. 213
When Better Is Expected, Good Is Not Enough	p. 229
Anatomy of a Build	p. 239
Boomerisms	p. 261
Acknowledgments	p. 265
Boomers, Board Members, and Major Funders	p. 269
End Notes	p. 273
Index	p. 275
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