Outdoor Spaces
Safe, well-maintained places to gather, exercise and play are fundamental to the development and well-being of the members of any community—especially children. In disinvested neighborhoods, where positive recreational outlets may be scarce, a playing field or park can serve as a welcome refuge from unsafe streets and as a deterrent to gang activity and other negative influences. For parents, youth recreation can mean peace of mind, and a chance to connect with other families in the community.
LISC ATL helps to develop safe places to gather, exercise, and play.
How we do it:
- We provide grants to help community groups build or renovate soccer fields, football fields, and basketball courts with a special focus on supporting groups building sports fields on or near MARTA stations.
- We provide grants and loans to help groups build outdoor spaces that encourage community building, like community gardens and parks.
Project Highlight: Soccer in the Streets
Soccer in the Streets (SITS) is creating a network of mini soccer fields and more, anchored by MARTA transit stations in Atlanta, to alleviate transportation and affordability hurdles for youth in disinvested communities to participate in soccer programs. SITS aims to build “A League of Stations”, whereby kids and adults can represent their own station community and play other station teams by using the public transit system.
LISC provided SITS with a $75,000 Grant to build a mini-soccer pitch at the Kensington MARTA station.
LISC is partnering with the Atlanta United Foundation to launch phase one of a statewide mini-pitch program, with the goal of constructing up to 100 mini-pitches across the state of Georgia leading into the 2026 World Cup.
