Help Urban Autism Preschoolers Get a Playground

TPGA friend Leo surveys the bare yard that is the play area for preschoolers with autism
at John Muir Elementary School in San Francisco

For many kids with autism, playgrounds -- no matter how the kids use them, and often despite physical disabilities -- are something they can use without needing 1:1 direction and support. The teacher of the autism preschool class at John Muir School in San Francisco says that's certainly true of her eight students -- the problem is, they don't have a playground. They have a bare patch of asphalt, with circles painted on it. And they are not allowed to play on the gorgeous new elementary playground adjacent to their yard.

The class parents have already worked with the class teacher to determine the best, most appropriate, and accessible play options for the autism preschoolers. The problem is, the school doesn't have the money for the playground.

But you can help the preschoolers get their playground, by voting for the Pepsi Refresh Muir Autism Play Project every day through July 31st. You can find information on the site, muirautismplayproject.com:

The general-education and autism-specific preschool classrooms at John Muir Elementary School desperately need a place to play; students currently play on a patch of bare asphalt. We’re raising money for a play structure for these deserving children!

Vote for us on PepsiRefresh every day, July 1-31. If we’re one of the top 15 vote recipients, we’ll get $25,000 to build a playground! You can vote here: www.refresheverything.com/muirautismplayproject by creating a pepsi log-in or through Facebook, or via text message by texting 107391 to Pepsi (73774) to vote from your mobile.

Thank you for your support!

We hope you can take the time to support the Muir Autism Play Project with a daily vote, and also spread the word to your other autism community circles. Because that is what we do -- we help where and when we can. This is a really easy way to do good for kids who deserve -- and need -- better. Again, thank you. -The Editors

The Muir Autism Play Project video:


Muir Autism Play Project from Oona Hanawalt on Vimeo.

Short video contrasting the bare autism preschool playground yard with the off-limits (because it's for ages 5 and up) elementary playground on the other side of a chain-link fence: