Abeona House

Help Us Build a Playground Where Childhood Can Thrive

At Abeona House, childhood is meant to be lived outside. Climbing. Digging. Imagining. Getting messy. Making friends.

For nearly 20 years, Abeona has been a place where children are deeply loved and encouraged to explore the world with curiosity and confidence. This GiveNOLA Day, we’re asking our community to help us take the next step.

Abeona was recently awarded a NORA grant to help bring a new outdoor playground to life for our kiddos. To make this vision real, we are partnering with Collectivo, a local design team, to create a space that is sustainable, beautiful, and rooted in how young children truly play and learn.

As part of the grant, we are responsible for contributing a portion of the total project cost. So this year, we’re coming together as a community to get one step closer to building the outdoor space our littles deserve.

Our goal is to raise $7,500 this GiveNOLA Day to support Stage 1 of this outdoor transformation. This is the first step in creating a nature-based play space where our children can grow, explore, and simply be kids.

As a thank you for your generosity and trust in our vision, we plan to recognize donors in a meaningful and lasting way, so this space reflects the community that helped bring it to life.

What We’re Building (Stage 1)

Outdoor play is essential for young minds, hearts, souls, and bodies. It supports physical development, creativity, emotional regulation, and connection. It's where children build confidence, take risks, and learn how to move through the world.

Here’s a glimpse of what Stage 1 will bring to life:

• A soft, artificial turf play area with a gentle mound for climbing, rolling, and active play
• A poured rubber play mound designed for safe, physical exploration
• Outdoor classroom spaces with chalkboards and reclaimed log seating for drawing, storytelling, and group learning
• Water play and a rain garden, where children can explore and interact with the natural environment
• A musical play area with outdoor instruments
• A tactile sensory wall for hands-on exploration and creative expression

Each element is designed with intention, supporting movement, imagination, and connection to the world around them.

But spaces like this don’t build themselves. And early childhood education is often under-supported. So we do what our community has always done. We show up for our kids.

Make Your Impact Tangible

Every gift helps bring this playground to life. If you’re able, consider giving at one of the levels below to see how your support can help shape the space:

$25: Pebble Collector
Stepping stones and small sensory play elements

$50: Mud Pie Maker
Natural materials like pebbles, wood, and garden items

$100: Water Explorer
Water play features like tables and sluice components

$250: Fort Builder
Plants, musical pieces, and imaginative play features

$600: Storytime Keeper
A bench for gathering, rest, and connection

$1,000: Playground Dreamer
Larger features like musical or interactive elements

$2,500+: Wonder Maker
Support major playground elements and overall transformation