Update from the Executive Director

We are thrilled to have concluded another school year with the support of our donors, partners and children across the region. Playworks PACNW continues to provide excellent quality programming across our various service offerings as we scale to bring safe and healthy play to all children in our four state region.  

We innovated new services, deepened impact with return partnerships and launched new relationships on our way to maximizing our impacts.  We center equity in all of our work and leverage the four core values of cultivating play, centering equity, continuously learning and collaborating within communities.  

We have solidly re-established our direct service footprint in the Seattle/Puget Sound area after our pandemic era setbacks, solidified a partnership with Title 1 schools in Fairbanks AK,  continued delivering services across the geography of Oregon with ESD and district level partnership in addition to our single school entry points, expanded tag team partnerships (certification for others to support recess in schools) and are excited to use our learnings to continue our scaling efforts in Alaska and Idaho in the coming years. 

Team PACNW has landed on the Portland Business Journal’s Best Places to Work list for the second year in a row due to our local commitment to focus on the pillar of sustainable teams as central to our work, prioritizing team health in addition to sustainable financials and sustainable impacts. We also won recognition on the 2024 list of the 100 Best Nonprofits to Work For in Oregon.

View the full Impact Report

This year we served

59,599

Students 

420

Youth Leaders

168

Partners

42.57% Free/Reduced Lunch Eligible Students with direct service partners

kids playing on playground

“I have seen major changes in peer relations during play since partnering with Playworks. Students AND staff have learned and engaged with problem solving skills, as well as how to include others during play – both inside and outside the classroom.”

– Classroom Teacher

According to our Annual Survey,

% of educators agree that Playworks helps…

increase the number of students that are
physically active

92%

students develop the skills to succeed in their learning community

95%

improve the school climate

92%

 

 

create an environment of belonging

96%

 

reduction in the number of disciplinary incidents

81%

 

create opportunities for inclusion of diverse groups of students

97%

Local spotlight

This year, Playworks Pacific Northwest expanded our reach to Alaska. Every Title I school in the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District had the opportunity to experience the power of play.

Playworks trainers spent time modeling, coaching, and action planning recess programming at each school. They also supported the schools in launching the Junior Coach youth leadership program, in which older students lead games and solve conflicts on the playground.

In a matter of weeks, Playworks programming reached 1,845 students. 

Read the full blog, Playworks PacNW in Fairbanks Alaska

kids on play structure