How It Began

Project Playground began in 2022 with a moment that was both simple and impossible to ignore. 

My son Colin uses a walker for mobility, and one day we walked onto his public school playground. He looked around at a space full of activity and possibility....except none of it was available to him. 

Wood chips, climbing equipment, monkey bars—there were no accessible options. In that moment, the absence was overwhelming. Play is such an important component of early childhood development; it’s where friendships form, confidence grows, and kids learn who they are. All kids should have the opportunity to play.  

After talking with fellow parents Laura and Reema, we decided that this couldn’t be the end of the story. We formed a committee and began fundraising, not knowing what to expect—and were met with extraordinary support from our community. 

In less than a year, we raised $136,000 and transformed that playground by adding six inclusive play options and accessible surfacing, creating a space where children of all abilities could finally play together. 

What began as a deeply personal moment quickly became something much bigger. 

The program has since expanded to seven schools, raising over $600,000. Along the way, students stepped forward as leaders—hosting lemonade stands and bracelet sales, painting murals, and even partnering with high school students and speech therapists to design custom communication boards. 

What started as one child’s experience became a community-wide shift in how we think about play, access, and belonging.  

Thank you for being part of our story.  

- Erica Witte, Co-Founder