RECn' It Out! Neighborhood Outreach Program

About the Program

Category: Parks and Recreation (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

Acknowledging social equity and that all neighborhoods are the root and a vital part of the health, strength and growth of our community, James City County’s RECn’ It Out! Neighborhood Outreach Program was designed to break down transportation, financial and cultural barriers for program participants and citizens living in low-income County neighborhoods. This unique, collaborative-based community-wide program was developed in response to two goals of James City County’s Comprehensive Plan - to take recreational, health and wellness, self-esteem building and cultural enrichment programs into the neighborhoods, and secondly, to bring program participants out of their neighborhoods and introduce them to our community by transporting them on fieldtrips to our existing parks and recreation programs and facilities and other community venues. The targeted community impact goal was to promote resilient, active, healthy and fun lifestyles, which in turn build positive and more resilient, active, healthier and fun individuals, families, neighborhoods and community. To off-set the cost of this neighborhood outreach program, ten public, non-profit and private business partners supported the initiative by covering 81% of all program expenses through grants, partnerships and donations.