Los Angeles County Launches New Power of Play Initiative

The L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation and the L.A. County Parks Foundation are partnering on an initiative to build awareness, support and a safety net to provide vulnerable youth and families access to high-quality programming.

1 minute read

August 8, 2022, 11:00 AM PDT

By Clement Lau


Los Angeles City Hall

Walter Cicchetti / Shutterstock

Access to recreation and other programming is critical for the health and well-being of youth, especially in underserved communities. To address this need, the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and the Los Angeles County Parks Foundation (LACPF) are launching the Power of Play, a joint initiative that builds awareness, support, and a safety net to provide vulnerable youth and families access to high-quality programming.

Through this partnership, DPR and LACPF are providing equitable access for all County youth by eliminating cost barriers to programming to ensure inclusion for all, regardless of socio-economic status. Emphasizing heavily on equitable play and learning programs for youth, the Power of Play initiative provides youth in vulnerable communities with access to high quality out-of-school recreation experiences including a variety of Sports, ESTEAM (Engineering, Science, Technology, Environment, Art and Mathematics) Summer Camps and after-school programs.

“Too many children growing up in Los Angeles County, but specifically youth of color, are going through childhood with disproportionate access to play, sports and out of school programming,” said Norma E. García-González, Director of DPR. “The LACPF will serve as the fundraising arm to bridge the gap in affordability and access by providing scholarships directly to vulnerable youth to participate in sports and after-school/summer camp programming.”

Wednesday, August 3, 2022 in SCV News

Single-family homes in a suburban neighborhood in Florida.

New Florida Law Curbs HOA Power

The legislation seeks to cut down on ‘absurd’ citations for low-level violations.

June 16, 2024 - The Guardian

Multistory apartment building under construction.

New Tennessee Law Allows No-Cost Incentives for Affordable Housing

Local governments in the Volunteer State can now offer developers incentives like increased density, lower parking requirements, and priority permitting for affordable housing projects.

June 10, 2024 - Nooga Today

Aerial view of intersection in New York City with yellow cabs and zebra crosswalks.

Planners’ Complicity in Excessive Traffic Deaths

Professor Wes Marshall’s provocatively-titled new book, "Killed by a Traffic Engineer," has stimulated fierce debates. Are his criticisms justified? Let’s examine the degree that traffic engineers contribute to avoidable traffic deaths.

June 13, 2024 - Todd Litman

Brick high-rise apartment buildings in New York City

Study: Housing Crisis is About Affordability, not Supply

New research shows that there is no overall shortage of housing units, but all U.S. metropolitan areas face a severe lack of affordable units for low-income renters.

June 18 - University of Kansas

Couple on one side of desk with banker on other side looking at paperwork.

Are Race-Based Lawsuits Affecting Community Lenders?

Shelterforce spoke with community lending leaders and experts about the current mood across the sector. What, if anything, are organizations doing to avoid becoming the next target of conservative activists?

June 18 - Shelterforce Magazine

Rendering of Glory Park in Lewisville, Texas.

New Park Promotes Community and Connectivity in Lewisville, Texas

The city of Lewisville just celebrated the opening of Glory Park/Parque la Gloria, helping to improve park access and the quality of life for residents.

June 18 - Lewisville Leader

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.