Crypto Charity Profile: KABOOM!

In this blog series, we highlight charities doing great work around the world that accept cryptocurrency donations. For this post, we are thrilled to highlight the amazing work being done by KABOOM!.

Thank you to James Siegal, Senior Fellow at KABOOM!, for providing insight into the organization’s work and embrace of cryptocurrency as a way to engage new champions for their cause.

KABOOM!’s Mission

KABOOM! is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a powerful mission: to “end playspace inequity for good”. KABOOM! works with communities “to build kid-designed playspaces that can spark joy and foster a sense of belonging for the kids who are often denied opportunities to thrive.”

Their mission is backed by research which confirms what parents already know: that play is a developmental necessity that sparks social, emotional, and physical growth, and improved health and well-being. Access to places to play is a critical social determinant of health that enables kids to be not only physically active but also socially and mentally engaged. Playgrounds are one of the few investments in public spaces specifically intended for kids, and are an essential tool for developing a sense of community belonging for kids and their families.

James Siegal provides insight into the historical and present challenges impacting playspace equity, which KABOOM! hopes to address:

A history of systemic exclusion, segregation and disinvestment that leads right up to the present denies Black and brown kids the opportunity to play. Parks in majority non-white neighborhoods are half as large and nearly five times as crowded as parks that serve a majority white population. 70-80% of minority census tracts don’t have recreational facilities in comparison to 38% of white census tracts. Parks serving majority low-income households are on average four times smaller and serve nearly four times more people than majority high-income households. This denial of access to quality play spaces contributes to higher rates of childhood obesity and other physical and mental health challenges experienced by kids of color growing up in high-poverty communities that are experiencing disinvestment. Most playspaces (approximately 70%) are owned and operated by municipal systems, most notably public parks, public schools and public housing. These are the very systems that have historically excluded Black and brown families and disinvested in their communities, and now do not have the resources alone to address the deep inequity in playspace access that currently exists.

These historical and present-day inequities are what drive KABOOM!’s mission, and they won’t stop their work until every child has equitable access to playspaces regardless of their income or race.

Impacts

For over 25 years, KABOOM! has provided joy to kids throughout the United States in their mission to end playspace inequity, and has had amazing impacts through their work:

• Over 17,000 playspaces built or improved

• Over 1.5 million volunteers engaged

• Over 11 million kids served

Beyond the numbers, it is the individual stories that truly demonstrate the impact of Kaboom’s work. James shared the following example of a high-impact project in partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools:

It was determined through a playspace needs assessment that we conducted with the Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS) system that roughly half of all BCPS elementary schools did not have adequate playspaces. These schools without safe playgrounds have 8% more Black students than the average across all BCPS elementary schools, and 92% of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals (vs. 84% across all BCPS elementary schools). Through our partnership with BCPS, funded with municipal, corporate and foundation resources, we have built 20 playspaces. We have another 24 playgrounds to build to ensure that every BCPS elementary school student has a great place to play where they learn. BCPS, which is a terrific partner with excellent equity-focused leadership, cannot solve this problem alone because of systemic barriers to community development. State funding is essentially allocated per capita rather than according to need. The BCPS budget for capital projects funded by state and local government is dwarfed by the resources of higher-income neighboring school systems that have roughly the same total number of students. From FY2016 to FY2018, the total capital budget of BCPS was $184M, compared $655M for Anne Arundel just to the south of the City of Baltimore and $595M for Baltimore County just to the north of the City. These disparities are only being widened by the impact of the pandemic on local governments. BCPS is emblematic of most public school, park, and housing systems across the country that have high concentrations of both poverty and children of color. To set each and every child on a path to a healthy future, we must end playspace inequity for good. Addressing this need is as important to children’s health and well-being as tackling other disparities that impact them.

This is just one case of many in which Kaboom has had a tremendous impact on the lives of children across America while working to build greater playspace equity. I encourage you to visit their website for more of these inspiring stories.

Why crypto donations?

In the Medium article Why KABOOM! is now Accepting Donations of Cryptocurrency, James highlights the reasons for KABOOM!’s embrace of crypto and innovation more broadly.

Primarily, they believe that “cryptocurrency offers another innovative way for us to engage champions of our cause”. They recognize that their organization shares many of the values with the broader cryptocurrency community, including the need for racial equity and community. To KABOOM!, accepting cryptocurrency donations is more than just a way to bring in more funds, although that is of course an important aspect, it is also a way to engage with an inspiring and talented community with shared values.

When it comes to the value of accepting cryptocurrency donations, James notes that it is important to educate crypto donors on the value of general operating support. Whereas many major gifts or grants from high-net-individuals or foundations come with strings attached, general operating support can be highly impactful as it allows the organization to spend the funds where they are needed most. James recognizes the importance of transparency and donors knowing how funds are spent, while also allowing for flexibility to ensure funds are used in the way that allows for the most good.

The future of crypto, blockchain, and social impact?

“I think there is a huge opportunity for blockchain technology to enhance transparency of social impact organizations who rely on public trust to advance their missions.” – James Siegal, Senior Fellow, KABOOM!

James believes that there is power in the concept of decentralized communities, and how the cryptocurrency community is rallied behind this common vision, whether it’s applied to transforming banking, protecting the environment, or supporting digital artists.

Recognizing that the models for engaging non-profit supporters hasn’t changed a whole lot in past decades, James believes that cryptocurrency and blockchain provides a unique opportunity to reimagine the way that champions of KABOOM!’s work are engaged, and that a lot can be learned from the innovations in the space.

How to donate crypto

A donation of cryptocurrency to KABOOM! can make a huge difference in providing a safe community space for children who have been historically denied this opportunity. You can donate crypto to KABOOM! by clicking the button below.