LEXINGTON, Ky. — A new nature-based playground opened at the Family Care Center, with Mayor Linda Gorton hailing the addition as a benefit to young children in the community. The outdoor play space was made possible by a $75,000 grant from the PNC Foundation through its Grow Up Great initiative, which focuses on early childhood education.

The Family Care Center provides an intensive case management program for families with young children ages newborn to 5-years living in Fayette County. The facility also offers early childcare, home visitation services, and educational programs for young parents.

The playground features a log cabin, tree slices, tree hoppers, a mud kitchen, benches, a water table, and an arbor, designed to encourage creativity, curiosity, and physical activity among young children. Research suggests that encouraging children to engage with their world through nature during play offers a wealth of benefits for learning and development.

Kristen Byrd, PNC regional president for Kentucky, emphasized the importance of the investment in children's learning. For more than 20 years, PNC Grow Up Great has helped children from birth to age 5 discover their love of learning.

Social Services Commissioner Kacy Allen-Bryant called the project an example of community collaboration. She noted that the partnership with PNC supports the Family Care Center's mission of promoting healthy childhood development and family well-being in underserved communities.