A L E T T E R F R O M T H E E X E C U T I V E DI R E C T O RDear Friends,

2016 was a whirl of activity at Smith and I am deeply grateful to the staff, board members, donors, volunteers, organizational partners, and visitors whose commitment to children and to play make Smith a beloved resource for families in Philadelphia and throughout the region.

This Annual Report aims to give you a glimpse of what happened at Smith over the past year. We were excited to welcome new colleagues Cheryl Carson and Mike Herrmann to our staff, and sad to see four friends reach their nine-year term limits for service on Smith’s Board of Directors. Thank you, Cal, Dani, Elinor, and Liz! Volunteers, working on the ground, like employees from Kohl’s, or contributing professional expertise, through the pro bono Compass program, gave generously of their time to supplement the capacity of our staff and board.

These kinds of contributions helped make every day at Smith fun, and some days truly amazing! With a range of family celebrations and arts experiences, from our own Kidchella concert series to performances presented by partners such as Enchantment Theater, 2016 featured mul-tiple opportunities for thousands of children to be wowed during special events hosted at Smith.

2016 also saw staff and Bridging the Gaps interns spending lots of time connecting with families outside of Smith. Whether leading play activi-ties for kids in community settings, or teaching adults why play is critical for children’s healthy development, the goal of our “Play for All” program is to get more kids playing, either at Smith or in their neighborhoods.

Another new, and exciting priority for Smith in 2016 was looking to the future. After some in depth planning, we began raising funds for ma-jor capital improvements. Renovations will include new public restrooms; a 25% increase in indoor play space; a fun, safe, and playable front lawn; and an Urban Nature Preschool to provide full-day, full-year high quality childcare for working families. We are off to a good start, thanks to a lead gift from the William Penn Foundation and a board giving challenge led by Dan Ross, and we will continue working tirelessly to preserve Smith for visitors in our next 100 years.

Thank you for supporting our work! You help us make children’s lives happier and healthier through play. Please come visit Smith soon!

Meg Wise Executive DirectorPhoto credit: Studio Bryan Hanes

BOARDJenny Bogoni (President), READ by 4th Hanley Bodek (Vice President), Philadelphia ConstructionStephen Wielgus (Treasurer), University of PennsylvaniaVirginia G. Essandoh, J.D. (Secretary), Ballard Spahr LLPMelissa Neubauer Anderson, Psy.DJonathan Cleborne, VanguardAnna Forrester, CityPlayJohn A. Hannah, Marsh USAJames Kearney, VanguardMalcolm Kenyatta, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce

Charles Lanier, Philadelphia Housing Authority (retired)Gael Levin-Simon, Educational Content Developer, Children’s TelevisionDenise Nakano, NBC10Kathy E. Ochroch, Blank Rome LLPIvy Olesh, PlayworksBetty Pettine, Wells FargoBlair J. Shaw, Esq. Merck & Co., IncPeg Szczurek, Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young ChildrenJamie Unkefer, AIA, Principal, DIGSAUCynthia Warren, M.D., FAAP, Center City Pediatrics

ADVISORY COMMITTEEThe Hon. Vanessa Lowery Brown PA State Representative, District 190 The Hon. Donna Bullock PA State Representative, District 195Kathy Hirsh-Pasek Stanley and Debra Lefkowitz Faculty Fellow at Temple UniversityEric Jones Head of School, Community Partnership SchoolKathryn Ott Lovell Commissioner, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation

STAFFMeg Wise, Executive DirectorCheryl Carson, Senior Director of DevelopmentMike Herrmann, Director of Facilities and OperationsZoe Hillengas, Communications ManagerShadirah Myrick, Visitor Services ManagerKate Zmich, Director of Programs and Fun

E R O S IO N C O N T R O L PR O J E C TSmith received a grant from the Philadelphia Committee of the Garden Club of America to continue its work on our Erosion Control Project. Funds were used to address five key areas on the Playground where erosion, caused by heavy foot traffic or water, created safety and aesthetic challenges. With the aid of our tremendous volunteers from PowerCorpsPHL and Vanguard, areas were prepped, seeded and planted with perennials, shrubs and grasses that could tolerate the conditions.

HOW VO LU N T E E R S H E L P S M I T HIn 2016, we partnered with 28 organizations to welcome 882 group and individual volunteers who generously contributed 3,481 hours of their time to Smith—the equivalent of 1.5 full-time employees’ hours for a full year! In addition to seasonal maintenance, volunteers helped us with the following:• Playground bench repair• Preparing our Annual Appeal bulk mailing• Assisting with on-site programs including Story Time and Crafts

N E W NAT U R E P L AY S PA C E AT S M I T HIn 2015 Smith was selected by the US Forest Service to be the site for a

national initiative to engage children in urban communities with nature. A “Nature Explore” play area was created on an under-used portion of Smith’s Playground and opened to the public in April 2016.

The new space promotes and demonstrates the benefits of nature play and learning. In summer 2016, we used the space as a home base to pilot a two-week summer camp for kids ages 4-8.

S M I T H T O T R A N S F O R M F R O N TLAWN INTO NATURE PLAY SPACE

Smith has partnered with The Natural Learning Initiative, a team of experts dedicated to designing and implementing outdoor learning environments in public spaces, and local urban design and landscape architecture firm Studio Bryan Hanes to jumpstart the “Smith Gateway” project, an initiative to transform the open green space in front of the Playhouse into a welcoming, programmable area for nature play and learning.

Smith held multiple community engagement sessions to learn from community members what they would like to see in the design of the space.

To learn more about the progress of the project, visit www.smithgateway.com.p

Photo Credits: Studio Bryan Hanes

S M I T H I N T H E C O M M U N I T Y

S M I T H G E T S A N E W S E T O F P L AY W H E E L S !

Play for All is a community based initiative that cultivates participation from families who are unlikely to be familiar with Smith and for whom poverty and other crises present significant challenges to children’s health and well-being. In 2016, Play for All offered a range of activities throughout the year including: 1) workshops for parent/caregivers delivered through partner agencies; 2) on the spot play opportunities through PlayWagons and PlayWheels; and 3) distribution of free tickets to annual events to Play for All families.

3,706 people and 36 social service agency partners participated in Play for All in 2016. Approximately 30% of participants at family events came from Smith’s Play for All audience.

Thanks to Haley Tricycles, Smith has a custom– made trike, designed to help us bring engaging play programming to our community partners.We’re looking forward to riding our new set of PlayWheels this Spring!

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R E T I R I NG B O A R D M E M B E R SSmith is deeply grateful to Danielle Banks, Esq., Elizabeth Cohen, Elinor

Haider and Caroline M. Simon who reached the term limits of their election to Smith’s Board of Directors in December 2016. Thanks to their dedication and support, Smith greatly increased its advocacy programs, family events, and publicity efforts during their years of service.i

PA RT Y I N T H E P L AYG R O U N DFounding Board member Susan Jaffe and superstar volunteers The Vanguard

Crew received Ida Newman Magic of Play Awards at Smith’s 9th Annual Party in the Playground celebration. It was a record-setting evening with approximately 300 guests helping Smith raise over $60,000!

D O NO R S $100,000+Otto Haas Charitable Trust°William Penn Foundation°

$50,000-$99,999The Pincus Family Foundation

$25,000-$50,000Cedar Hill FoundationLandenberger Family Foundation°Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation

$10,000-$24,999The Bodek Family°Claneil Foundation, Inc.Faye and Dan Ross°The Hassel FoundationThe Knight Foundation Donor-Advised Fund of The Philadelphia Foundation°The Philadelphia FoundationVolpe and Koenig, P.C.

$5,000-$9,999Allied World Assurance CompanyMelissa and Paul AndersonElizabeth Cohen and David Whellan°Dewitt and Caroline Van Evera FoundationDaniel and Alex GreenbergIndependence FoundationSusan JaffeMichael Metelits and Nicki NathanThe Patricia Kind Family FoundationWells Fargo FoundationWilliam M. King Foundation

$1,000-4,999Alston-Beech FoundationCarol Baker and Mark SteinCaroline J. Sanders Trust #2Center City Pediatrics, LLCChristian R. and Mary F. Lindback FoundationKelly and Jon Cleborne°Barbara Cohen Anna Forrester and Mitchell Young°Frontier AirlinesGreater Philadelphia Cultural AlliancePaulette Greenwell and Scott MeasleyElinor Haider and Matt Lee°Jennifer and John Hannah°Henrietta Tower Wurts Memorial FundJoseph Kennard Skilling TrustJames KearneyKatherine and Peter KelsenKohl’s Department Stores, Inc.Louis N. Cassett FoundationVicky and Matt MartelliMill Creek Capital Advisors, LLCPatricia Segal and Stephen Segal Family Charitable FoundationPECOBetty and John Pettine°Philadelphia Chapter of the Garden Club of AmericaPhiladelphia Cultural FundRobert L. and Gene E.K. Pratter, Esq.

Rosenlund Family FoundationMary Jane and Terry Ruggles°Samuel Tabas Family FoundationCaroline M. SimonSoccer Shots PhiladelphiaHeather Sonnenberg and Ronald WarmanJames Strazzella The Emergency Aid of Pennsylvania Foundation, Inc.The Philadelphia SchoolTorchlight Technology Group LLCDeborah and David Valentine°Stephen Wielgus

$500-$999Danielle Banks, Esq.Jenny and Luca Bogoni°Mary Lou and Wayne BremserAly and Brian CunninghamDorel Juvenile GroupRob Einhorn Elisabeth DoolanMalcolm Kenyatta°Keystone FirstKohnstamm CommunicationsConnie Lotz Mark B. Thompson Associates LLCMarjorie Ogilvie and Miller ParkerAleni Pappas Alain Plante* Pam and Milton SchneiderCharles S. Seltzer, Jr.The Rittenhouse FoundationMargaret and Fred VincentMeg Wise and Ken Yanoviak°

$100-499Jack Adler Jennifer and David AllevaAnonymousAnne and Vincent ArletAmanda Aronoff Charna and Bart AxelrodTiffany BakerVirginia Baltzell Julie Barber-RotenbergElizabeth BentleyNadia BilligMarnie Bodek and Ed MossMarjorie and Charles BoskCaroline and Thomas Brennan Sonya Brintnall and Christopher PowersMariette Buchman and David Altenhofen*Betsy and Sandy Caesar Jacqueline Carlson Jeff CarpenterMary CarpenterArlene and Steve CarsonFred ChazinOllie CherniahivskyCatharine and Roger ChiangAndrea Cohen and Rodger CitronEllen CohenRegina and Marty ConnorTeri and Garth ConnorCRW Graphics

$100-499 (cont’d) Susan and David DannenbergDelaware Valley Association for the Education of Young ChildrenMichael DelluvaCece and Joe DenegreTobey and Mark DichterMarian Dixon Nancy and Don DonaghyKathryn DonohueKaren and Kevin DunleavyE. Allen Reeves, Inc.Laura Efros and Noam KugelmassLouis and Sandra Rodriguez EggerToby and Bruce EisensteinColleen and Chris ErbVirginia and Alfred Essandoh°William EwingDenise and Ed Fagan Fairmount Park ConservancyFairmount VenturesStephanie and Eric FeldmanRegina and Theodore ForrenceMargretta ForresterDavid Frank Heather FrattonDiane and Robert FreedmanMary French James Gavaghan GlaxoSmithKlineMaxine and Jay GoldbergGreater Philadelphia Chamber of CommerceAndy GreenbergSarah Greenstein GianPaolo GuercioPatricia and Andrew HaasJean and Donald HaiderEmy and Michael HalpertJanna and Jim HarrisJean Hemphill and Robert Warner*Erica and Stephen HeverinJohn Hewson*Shelly Hillyer John and Diane Hoffman PringleAbigail HornRachel IsaacsonJune and Bill JacksonJohn and Catherine Fiebach Fund of the Jewish Federation of Greater PhiladelphiaGladstone Fund of the Jewish Federation of Greater PhiladelphiaJennifer Johnson and Benjamin DuganRachelle L. and Ron KaisermanMadeleine and Steven KesslerJoan and Michael KingJosephine and Carl KnappSham KnightRobin Kohles and Sam GarstVicki and Donald KramerDenise and Michael KreksteinCharles Lanier°Laurel Hill CemeterySamirah Lawson*

Joyce and David LeeStanley and Debra Kaplan LefkowitzChristine and John Leonard Charisse LillieLiddy and John LindsayNina Liou and Scott PageThomas LipkoMariann and Kip LordKathryn Lynott OurslerThomas MaddaloniJohn Maher*Lynn Marks and Clifford PearlmanPeter F. and Nancy Brockway MarvinChariss McAfee and Charles LoomisFaith and Arthur McDowellVicki McGarveyAnna MeadowsMargaret Meigs and Paul LaskowJodi MindellDenise and Stephen MitnickJennifer Mogck and Daniel Wallick William MorakSteve MorrisMary Mullany Denise Nakano*Ellen Napier and Robert ChaneyMichelle Narin and Maurice SchweitzerSandee and Jerry NisenfeldDeanne Norton Hilary Paskie and Chris JohnsonVerino Pettinaro Philip Pio Construction, Inc.Lauren PowersPhilip Price Olivia RabeRanieri and Kerns Association, LLCAbraham ReichLinda Remsburg Debi and Steve RichterRoffman Miller Associates IncBarbara and Dan RottenbergSabrina Sacks MannSuzie and Matthew SallDarlene Sandy* Maureen Scanlan and Joseph WhalenBarbara Schaff Courtland Schmidt Miriam and Allan SchneirovDanielle ScottErika ScottBarbara and Leo SewellGamal SherifDveral and Alan SilbersteinMargot Sklar Gail SosnovLaura and Andrew SparksMiriam and Arthur SpectorGillian and John StaackKaren StachelekAmy and Adam SteelRebecca SteffyElsie Stern and Steve CohenElizabeth StrockLillian Sugarman

Susan and Matthew SullivanLisa Taddei The Home Depot FoundationValerie ThimDavid Tilley Ellen and Thomas TrantasUBS Community AffairsNate Van WootenMarina VolinAlexandra von WussonPeggy and Ellis WachsAisha Walters°Russel Walters Julie and Bruce WeinbergLucille and Bill WernerJudy Okin-WertheimerEleanor and Stanley WielgusSara Woods and Will EnscoreYour Part-Time ControllerJohn ZmichMarc Zollinger

° Full or partial gift allocated towards Capital Campaign* Full or partial gift made through the United Way

In-kindApostolic Christian Transitional ServicesDominique Andrews Cheryl Carson and Onofre VaquerCIGNA FoundationKelly and Jon CleborneClif Bar Family FoundationMaureen GavaghanGIANT/MARTIN’SFeige GrundmanK’NEX BrandsPatricia LaRoccoMegan and John LivewellMaria Luby Marsh, Inc.Old City CoffeePrimex Garden CenterDiane SalesStradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLPTrader Joe’s Philadelphia - Center CityWegmans Food Market - King of PrussiaSade WilliamsAudrey Wood

A N N UA L FA M I LY E V E N T S AT S M I T HIn 2016, Smith hosted six family events that welcomed 5,704 children

and adults, with an average of 30% of those families receiving complimentary tickets through our Play For All community program.

Our most popular events were Play-A-Palooza, our seasonal Playground opening celebration which welcomed 2,357 children and adults, and our Kidchella Music Festival which welcomed 1,998 children and adults for three evenings of live music in the Playground performed by six nationally acclaimed Children’s Music artists.

2 0 1 6 F I NA NC I A L S

INCOME

EXPENSES

Positive variance of $887,915 is reserved for planned capital projects. Audited figures not available at press time. Smith’s 2016 independent audit and 990 tax filing available upon request.

3500 Reservoir Drive • East Fairmount Park • Philadelphia, PA 19121

www.smithplayground.org • 215-765-4325

SmithMemorialPlayground @SmithPlayground SmithPlayground

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