This Earth Month, the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is collaborating with The Walt Disney Company, including Disney Citizenship, Disney|ABC Television Group and ESPN, to revitalize parks across the U.S. for a third year. The city that receives the most nominations will receive a $20,000 grant to improve a local park.

Public voting for Meet Me at the Park takes place now through April 30, 2017. People can nominate their city either online at www.nrpa.org/beinspired or via text. The city with the most nominations at the end of the month will receive funding. The winning city will implement its park improvement projects this summer. New this year, everyone who nominates will be entered into a drawing for a computer tablet outfitted for the outdoors. Nominators are encouraged to also ask their friends to vote by taking a selfie in their favorite park and using the hashtags #MeetMeAtThePark, #Parkies and #BeInspired.

Started in 2014, Meet Me at the Park improves local parks through projects that connect kids to nature, inspire healthy living and provide access to sports. These projects include activities such as planting community gardens, improving trails, and refurbishing playgrounds or soccer fields. In 2016, more than 200,000 people were impacted by Meet Me at the Park projects. Throughout the last two years, the projects have provided: 

·      370,110 people with improved access to physical activity
·      53,343 people with improved access to nature experiences
·      10,194 people with improved access to nutritious foods
·      78,970 people with improved access to sports

“Supporting local parks is essential to the health and vitality of communities everywhere,” said Lori Robertson, NRPA Director of Conservation. “That’s why we are proud to collaborate with The Walt Disney Company to help fund critical park improvement projects in communities in need. We encourage everyone to join us in giving back to the places that shape so much of our lives by voting in this year¹s Meet Me at the Park campaign.”

During April, a public service announcement (PSA) supporting the Meet Me at the Park campaign will be shared with audiences across Disney, including ABC Television Network, ABC-owned and affiliate stations, Freeform, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, the ABC app and other digital platforms. The PSA will also be available to view on the voting site at www.nrpa.org/beinspired. Additionally, Radio Disney will support the campaign with an on-air radio spot.
To learn more about Meet Me at the Park, visit www.nrpa.org/beinspired.

To learn more about NRPA, visit www.nrpa.org. 

(News release from National Recreation and Park Association)