Over $10 million invested since 2006 with non-profit KaBOOM! to build playgrounds across the US and Canada

TORONTO, April 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - Foresters, an international financial services provider, today announced that it renewed its partnership with national non-profit KaBOOM!, an organization dedicated to promoting play, to build 25 new playgrounds across North America by the end of 2015. The new playgrounds will enhance the well-being of families and communities by providing more than 3 million children and their families with the opportunity to spend quality time together.

"Foresters is proud to continue its partnership with KaBOOM! to build more playgrounds and provide even more families with a place where they can come together to learn, play and have fun," said Kasia Czarski, chief membership and marketing officer, Foresters. "A playground is a centerpiece in a community and supporting the well-being of families is central to Foresters. Renewing our partnership with KaBOOM! is our promise to families renewed."

The two-year plan will see the development of 25 new playgrounds, with 15 playground builds to be completed in 2014. With the additional playgrounds scheduled, Foresters will reach and surpass 100 playground builds this year, building on the 94 playgrounds already completed since 2006. The new phase of the partnership will continue to see additional community revitalization projects, such as planter benches, asphalt games, and picnic tables with chessboard tops, at build sites to provide more features for families to enjoy.

"Building a new generation of healthy communities begins with a child's well-being, and providing opportunities for fun and active play for kids is at the core of that," said Darell Hammond, founder and CEO of KaBOOM!. "When our children's lives are filled with play, we all benefit; our families and communities will be healthier and happier today, and our society will be stronger and more resilient tomorrow. Our partnership with Foresters has been instrumental in promoting the importance of play and we are grateful for their continued commitment for play."

Foresters is a KaBOOM! National Partner and a founding member of the KaBOOM! Leadership Circle. Foresters entered into a formal partnership with KaBOOM! in 2011 but has been building playgrounds with KaBOOM! since 2006. From 2006 to 2013, more than 5,000 Foresters volunteers have helped at playground builds to create over 241,000 square feet of playground space.

About Foresters
For 140 years, Foresters™, an international financial services provider, has fulfilled its purpose to enhance family well-being for its members and the communities where they live.  A fraternal benefit society, Foresters offers quality life insurance and investment products, unique member benefits and inspiring community activities. Foresters shares its financial strength with more than one million members in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.  For more information, visit foresters.com, facebook.com/foresters and techtimeout.com.

Foresters™ is the trade name and a trademark of The Independent Order of Foresters, a fraternal benefit society, 789 Don Mills Road, Toronto, Canada M3C 1T9; its subsidiaries are licensed to use this mark.

KaBOOM!
KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to the bold new goal of ensuring that all children, particularly the 16 million American children living in poverty, get the balance of active play they need to become healthy and successful adults. KaBOOM! has been a powerful champion for play since its founding in 1996, working with partners to build, improve and open more than 15,000 playgrounds, engage more than 1,000,000 volunteers and serve more than 6,600,000 children. KaBOOM! creates and catalyzes great places to play, inspires, empowers and leads play advocates, and educates and elevates the societal conversation about the importance of play in children's lives. For more information, visit kaboom.org/act or follow the conversation on why #playmatters at twitter.com/kaboom or facebook.com/kaboom.

SOURCE Foresters