Darell Hammond is the Founder and CEO of KaBOOM!, a not-for-profit based in Washington, DC dedicated to saving play by making sure there is a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. KaBOOM! works with communities and corporations to build playgrounds in North America where there are none. To help start the conversation and educate Americans about the importance of play in children’s lives, Hammond wrote KABOOM!: A Movement to Save Play. Founded out of Hammond’s apartment in 1996, KaBOOM! has raised $200 million, rallied a million volunteers, led the hands-on construction of 2,000 playgrounds, and inspired a movement for the child’s right to play. Hammond was the 2011 recipient of the Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award presented in Dalian, China and recently named to the Forbes Magazine list of the world’s Top 30 Social Entrepreneurs. Hammond lives in Washington, DC, with his wife Kate Becker.
