Asphalt Green
by Carol Tweedy

Asphalt Green is the premier health and fitness non-profit in New York City, serving 42,000 people each year. The sports and fitness activities offered are available to 12,000 neighborhood children absolutely free and depend on generous contributions in order to support the free community activities.

Asphalt Green teaches 2,000 public school children how to swim each year. In addition, it helps 25 schools make recess safer, more inclusive and active as well as providing staff and facilities for 700 children in schools that do not have any physical education classes. Asphalt Green has an after school and weekend competitive sports league so 500 neighborhood youth experience team play. About 250 scholarships are annually given out to children for fee paying classes and camps. The running track, playgrounds, outdoor basketball courts, Astro Turf field, and the park are open for the enjoyment of an estimated 150 children per day.

Fernando Rios, who attends P.S. 38 on 103rd Street says, “I love swimming at the Asphalt pool. It is very safe and keeps me out of trouble. Thanks to you I cannot stop thinking about Tuesday.” That is the day that Fernando’s fourth grade class comes to Asphalt Green to swim.

Naomit Saltzman, a teacher at P.S. 38, eloquently described the impact of the program: “Math and reading are not the only ways to grow a child’s mind. Water, I’ve learned, is a great equalizer. When you are in the pool, it does not matter how you did on your math test…You may be the class ace or you may be struggling…but when you hit that water, you’re free to be whomever you want.”#

Carol Tweedy is the Executive Director at Asphalt Green. For more information
call (212) 369-8890 or go to www.asphaltgreen.org.

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