The Home Depot is gearing up a $25 million, three-year plan to refurbish 1,000 playgrounds in 1,000 days with KaBOOM, a non-profit group that builds playgrounds in poor neighborhoods.
A founding partner of KaBOOM since 1996, Home Depot will donate $25 million and about one million volunteer hours to help KaBOOM revamp or build 1,000 playgrounds, athletic fields and ice rinks across North America. The DIY retailer also will fund challenge grants to non-profits that want to build their own playgrounds, with an assist from Home Depot staff as volunteers.
“Volunteerism is the cornerstone of our commitment to our communities, and having the know-how to get this important job done is a core competency of our talented associates. Our partnership with KaBOOM will have an incredible impact on our communities,” said Home Depot President-CEO Bob Nardelli in a statement.
Home Depot tapped its NASCAR sponsorship this spring for a building program, dubbed Racing to Play, to build 10 NASCAR-themed playgrounds in race markets this summer (May 3 Xtra). The effort is a collaboration between KaBOOM, The No. 20 Home Depot Racing Team and Joe Gibbs Racing.
Meanwhile, Atlanta-based Home Depot plans to open four convenience stores in Nashville by yearend to test the retail format.
The stores will operate under the Home Depot name and carry a mix of common convenience items including beverages, pre-packaged foods and milk, per news reports.
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