The trajectory
Recess Cleveland started on August 9th, 2015 with a $2,000 Neighborhood Connections grant and one event that drew about 100 people to play 30-vs-30 dodgeball, battle soccer, tug of war, and kickball. Year one: 10 events, 600+ attendees. 2017: 53 events, 5,100 attendees. 2018: 70 events, 7,000 attendees. 2019: 82 events across 12 neighborhoods, 8,300 attendees, and partnerships with Habitat for Humanity and University Hospitals.
The pandemic pivot
In 2020 we rewrote the rules of 40 of our 90 games to be physically distant, landed our first City of Cleveland contract, and launched RecessKits. By year’s end: 17,000+ play items gifted, 50+ physically distanced events, hundreds of PPE masks, 3,400+ meals distributed, and 800 kids playing bubble soccer, dodgeball, Gellyball, and kickball for free — without contributing to spread. RecessKits became the blueprint for RecessPods.
The metrics that matter
Cost per hour of play: a $50,000 community pod generating 7,200 hours of play works out to roughly $7 per hour — cheaper and more accessible than any trampoline park. We also track Net Promoter Score and the percentage of attendees connected to wraparound services, because connection is the mission.
The bigger picture
According to a report by Dr. Robert Ross, investing just $10 per person per year in programs that increase physical activity could save the U.S. more than $16 billion in annual healthcare costs within five years. RecessPods are that investment, one neighborhood at a time. Fund one.