Outdoors is for Everyone

This week we visited the Somerville Family Closet. As part of our grant at the Growing Center to support outdoor/nature play all year long in the city, we are starting a gear closet to help remove barriers to outdoor play.

Francia Reyes, the coordinator of the Closet commented that she talks to teachers whose parents don’t want the kids to go outside in rainy/cold/snowy weather as they only have one pair of shoes or a jacket that is not warm enough. She and another volunteer, Kiki, talked about the therapeutic aspect of being able to be in the outdoors and ways we can collaborate with family groups at the GC.

Right now the closet’s biggest need is for clothing/boots for older students, the sizes and items that they are looking for are linked here, if you are going through your kids/teens closets and are able to donate: https://somerville.k12.ma.us/sites/default/files/SFLC%20SPS%20%20coat%20drive1.pdf

Outdoors is for everyone, whether you are walking to school, playing outdoors at recess, or playing in a city green space like the Growing Center.

And, if you’d like to know more about our nature equity programming please be in touch with Paula at paula@thegrowingcenter.org