Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation Funds New Playground for ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ×ās Childrenās ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ×
Fri, 11/17/2023 - 11:50am | By: Courtney Tesh
The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation has awarded a generous grant to The Childrenās ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× for Communication and Development at The University of Southern Mississippi (ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ×) through the ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× Foundation. These funds will be used to build a new playground on ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ×ās Hattiesburg campus.
The state-of-the-art, custom-designed playground will serve as an outdoor therapy space for children with complex communication needs and developmental disabilities who are currently receiving services from The Childrenās ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× and as an inclusive play space for children in the Hattiesburg region with and without disabilities.
The Childrenās ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× provides a wide range of services, including speech-language pathology, listening and spoken language therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, audiology, special instruction, and social work support, for 140 children in South Mississippi, all at no cost to their families. The playground at the ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ×ās Hattiesburg location serves an important role in the childrenās therapy.
āThe playground at The Childrenās ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× is much more than a playground,ā said Sarah Myers, Director at The Childrenās ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ×. āThis outdoor space is not used as a break from a childās therapy. On the contrary, when the space is set up to support it, it is an extremely effective therapy setting. In some cases, the playground is where we see the most progress in a childās speech, motor, and social goals. What is more motivating than joining peers on the slide or asking a friend for a push on the swings?ā
Added Myers, āThis new playground, with its custom-tailored design and carefully chosen play equipment, will be the setting for countless milestones reached in the coming years. What a gift. We cannot overstate our excitement about this project or our gratitude for the generosity of our friends at the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation.ā
The Childrenās ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× also hosts inclusive play opportunities for children and families within the community. These play events will accommodate many more families and individuals, broadening the impact of these bi-annual events, thanks to the expanded and updated space provided through this grant.
The Childrenās ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× has already seen firsthand the impact of a playground designed with inclusion and therapy needs in mind. In 2020, the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation funded a new playground at the ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ×ās Gulf Park campus location and the impact of this outdoor therapy space has been immeasurable. The ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× staff and families are grateful to benefit from the generosity of the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation once again and are excited to watch ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× children thrive in this new space for years to come.
āThe Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation is proud to provide The Childrenās ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× with an inclusive outdoor playground to encourage children of all abilities and their families to engage in fun interactive play,ā said Foundation Director Eugenia King. āStudies show there are a variety of health benefits through both therapeutic and unstructured play, including physical, sensory and cognitive development and social and emotional well-being.ā
About The Childrenās ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× for Communication and Development
The Childrenās ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× for Communication and Development at The University of Southern Mississippi is a non-profit that provides cost-free communicative and developmental transdisciplinary services to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers while educating, training, and supporting families, university students and professionals.
About the ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× Foundation
Founded in 1959, the ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to serving the University community by overseeing fundraising efforts to raise private support for scholarships and other academic needs at Southern Miss.
For more information on supporting Southern Miss, call the at 601.266.5210.
About Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation
The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation has a vision for a healthy Mississippi and provides leadership and targeted grant funding for sustainable initiatives and programs to improve the overall health and well-being of Mississippians. Learn more about how the is building a healthy Mississippi.