The Home Depot has launched a national partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing and the nonprofit group KaBOOM! to enrich the lives of at-risk children who live in racing communities.
The partnership, called Racing to Play, will involve volunteers from The No. 20 Home Depot Racing Team, the Joe Gibbs Racing team and local Home Depot stores in building a NASCAR-themed playground in a single day just prior to a weekend race. The events will include The Home Depot Kids Workshops activities and an appearance by The No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet show car.
The first event kicks off on June 16 with a playground build at the Jackson Arts and Technology Academy in Jackson, MI, prior to the Michigan 400 at the Michigan International Speedway. Racecar driver Tony Stewart and other members of Joe Gibbs Racing will participate.
Other playgrounds will be built this year in Daytona, FL, Joliet, IL, Indianapolis, IN, Fontana, CA, Richmond, VA, Talladega, AL, Kansas City, KS, Atlanta and Phoenix.
KaBOOM! is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to building safe play spaces in communities across the country. By the end of 2005, Home Depot will have built more that 400 playgrounds for KaBOOM! through several volunteer initiatives.
In a separate development, Home Depot will repeat its Week of Service initiative, which ran last fall as part of its 25th anniversary celebration. The Atlanta-based retailer donated more than 250,000 volunteer hours at more than 1,000 community improvement projects in North America from Sept. 27 through Oct. 2. The 2005 dates have not been set.
Home Depot is also currently brainstorming ways to activate its sponsorship with Major League baseball at the community level. Home Depot signed a three-year deal with MLB last month, prior to the first pitch of the 2005 season.
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