Within the tight-knit community of Phillipsburg, New Jersey is a new opportunity for underserved youth to participate in healthy, positive team sports with the groundbreaking of a Youth Development Park - an emblem of collaboration between local community members and the unwavering support of McWane Ductile.
This new multipurpose, state-of-the-art synthetic turf field will accommodate football, baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey teams year-round as well as many other regional tournaments and community events, while programs will be overseen by the Town of Phillipsburg. This full-size synthetic turf field will provide a safe environment that fosters social, educational, and recreational interactions between at-risk youth and caring adult mentors, and will also be a clean, supportive space for other adults, youth, and children in and around Phillipsburg.
Dr. James Brennan, Co-Chairman of the Ripken Foundation Youth Development Park Project Committee, believes that “creating a beautiful, state-of-the-art, multi-purpose facility hosting a wide range of sporting events and recreational activities for the children of our community will undoubtedly have a revitalizing effect on youth sports and recreation in our town.” He continued, "After researching the Ripken Foundation, I was highly impressed by their mission and the great work they do. My only hesitation about getting involved was that possibility of a Ripken Youth Development Park here in Phillipsburg seemed almost too good to be true.”
The most prominent and impactful partnership for this project is lead donor McWane Ductile, who donated a generous $1 million gift to this project. “This is the single largest private citizen donation in the history of our town,” said Brennan. “This amazing investment in the youth of Phillipsburg would not have been possible without the generosity of the McWane family and the great reputation of the Ripken Foundation. As I look into the future, our partnership with the Ripken Foundation, its mission, and the power and reputation of the Ripken Family brand, I firmly believe that we will attract and generate more opportunities to help our kids grow, develop and succeed.”
As we look ahead, continued investment in these parks stand poised to empower countless young lives, bridging gaps and unlocking potential, ensuring a brighter and more equitable future for all.
Read more about this exciting project in our newest Feature of the Month here. To learn more about our Youth Development Park initiative, click here.