About Shane's InspirationWith the belief that the “playground is a child’s classroom,” Shane’s Inspiration began with a dream to give every child the opportunity to play pirates on a bridge, dig for treasure in a sandbox and reach the moon on a swing. In 1998, that dream became reality as Shane’s Inspiration created the first universally accessible playground in the Western United States, and the largest in the nation. The play area, located in Griffith Park, provides two acres of fully accessible, sensory-rich and physically challenging equipment. Since then, the non-profit organization committed to fostering acceptance and friendship among children of all abilities has opened 17 other play areas and has 80 projects in various stages of development throughout the world. Located in Van Nuys, Shane’s Inspiration also has created a unique disability awareness education program that includes classroom presentations, group discussions and an interactive field trip to encourage children to appreciate diversity. “We are very excited to be working with Children's Hospital,” says Tiffany Harris, co-founder and executive director of Shane’s Inspiration, which designed the play area that will be installed in the garden in front of the Marion and John E. Anderson Pavilion. “Hospitals can often be a very stressful environment. By giving kids a place just for them—a place that’s just for play—we can definitely ease their discomfort.” |