Partners In Parks

Help design Missoula's future by becoming a Partner In Parks!

Missoula Parks and Recreation has earned and enjoyed a reputation for excellence. But the costs of excellence are as great as the rewards. Each park facility and program requires staffing, managing, scheduling, maintenance, equipment and an enormous amount of dedicated energy and attention in order to offer you all that we do. Your giving enables us to sustain and build on excellence. Now you can be a partner in our effort and success with your personal involvement in a favorite project or program.

Parks play a vital role in the quality of our lives by providing play areas, green places and open spaces. Quality recreation programs offer all ages opportunities for learning, enrichment, growth, self-improvement, leadership and good citizenship in our community.

Justice and Equity

Partners In Parks supports Missoula's low-income families:

• Requests for Parks and Recreation youth program grants have more than doubled over the past year.
• 18% of Missoula's children live in poverty; about 4000 Missoula kids live below the Federal Poverty Level.
• 13,000 Missoulians receive food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
• 32% of students in Missoula County Public Schools meet low-income guidelines to qualify for free or reduced-price school meals.

Health Equity

• Access to parks, playgrounds, and recreation programs leads to other healthy lifestyle choices.
• 28% of Missoula's third-graders are overweight or obese.
• Only 16% of Missoula students in grades 2 through 12 achieved the recommended levels of daily physical activity.
• The most active kids earn one grade higher in school than the least active kids. Additionally, the most active kids perform best on standardized tests.
• By increasing access to places and programs for physical activity, youth not only have higher levels of activity but are less likely to be overweight or obese.

Inclusion and Social Justice

• Recreation and parks encourage positive youth development and help prevent juvenile delinquency:
  • Students who participate in one to four hours per week of extracurricular activities are 49% less likely to use drugs and 37% less likely to become teen parents.
  • Youth involved in recreation programs are more likely to do volunteer work and feel that they can undertake activities to make life better for other children and youth growing up in their community.

Developing Essential Life Skills

Participation in recreation activities gives kids a chance to:

• Find personally meaningful activities and develop lifelong interests.
• Learn self-determination and having control of one's actions.
• Develop a variety of skills and competencies.
• Develop a sense of belonging and mattering.
• Have opportunities for personal growth and leadership.
• Engage in goal-oriented experiences and learn about future expectations.