BEN & JERRY’S® HELPS FUEL THE KaBOOM!® EXPLOSION
Changing Kids’ Worlds -- One Pint At A Time!

Burlington, VT -- With a name like KaBOOM!, you know it’s all about fun. But this Washington, D.C.-based national non-profit group is also on a serious mission: to build safe and accessible play spaces for kids.

"Play is the work of children -- it helps develop social and cognitive skills, teaches conflict resolution, and provides kids with healthy exercise opportunities, too,” explains Darell Hammond, chief executive officer and co-founder of KaBOOM!. “Yet too many of our nation’s neighborhoods are child-rich and playground-poor."

But building safe and accessible new playground space can be -- well, anything but child’s play! An average new playground can cost as much as $35,000 to $50,000. That’s where KaBOOM! comes in. With the aid of 50,000 enthusiastic volunteers, KaBOOM! has helped create 248 safe and accessible new playgrounds across the U.S., Canada, and Bermuda -- and inspired thousands more. “And building playgrounds helps to build communities, as well!” emphasizes Hammond.

Now Ben & Jerry’s, the innovative ice cream maker known for its social mission, is partnering with KaBOOM! to build new playgrounds -- one pint at a time! A portion of every sale of its all-new flavor KaBerry KaBOOM!ú will go to fund three new playgrounds: one on the East coast, one on the West coast, and one in the Central U.S.

"We’re thrilled to be part of the positive changes that building much-needed playgrounds can bring,” notes Ben & Jerry’s spokesperson Molly Hanlon. “This program is a great fit with Ben & Jerry’s longstanding philosophy of giving back to the community, and our new KaBerry KaBOOM! flavor is all about playfulness. This red-white-and-blue combination of strawberry and blueberry ice creams is loaded with tongue-tickling white fudge-covered cracklin’ candy, then kissed with a blueberry swirl!"

Lots of eager hands will share the building fun. Each of the three Ben & Jerry’s sponsored playground builds will be constructed by local area grocery stores, convenience stores, and scoop shops, while other retailers around the country will have the chance to develop playgrounds of their own. And a team of Ben & Jerry’s employees will also descend on Boston to help construct a playground there this spring.

Like tips for helping make play a priority in your community? Check out Ben & Jerry’s “Let’s Play!” Action List on-line at www.benjerry.com. And for additional information about KaBOOM!, visit www.kaboom.org

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