Aspiring soccer players in Chicago will have a unique new place to hone their skills thanks to a $15,000 Let’s Play Mini Pitch grant from Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS), KaBOOM! and the U.S. Soccer Foundation. The grant enabled the Chicago Park District to install an acrylic soccer mini-pitch that will provide a safe place for children to play, to learn and to grow. This grant was made possible through Let’s Play, an initiative of Dr Pepper Snapple Group, to provide the tools, resources and inspiration for children and families to be active. The U.S. Soccer Foundation, through its Safe Places to Play program, and in partnership with KaBOOM!, is focused on bringing small-sided soccer-specific play spaces to urban, underserved communities nationwide.

Created in 2011, Let’s Play provides the tools, places and inspiration to make play a daily priority. The initiative began with a three-year commitment to KaBOOM!, the national non-profit dedicated to ensuring that all kids get the balanced and active play they need to thrive. Through the first three years, they built 41 playgrounds, with more than 2,300 DPS employees contributing nearly 19,000 volunteer hours in the construction, and provided grants ranging from $500 to $30,000 for the improvement of another 2,004 playgrounds by the end of 2013. Visit Let’s Play at www.LetsPlay.com to join the conversation and learn how to apply for the various available grants to make communities more active and playful.