Darell Hammond

Born in Jerome, Idaho, to a nursing home employee and a truck driver, Hammond is the seventh of eight children.{{cite journal | url = https://money.cnn.com/2007/12/20/magazines/fortune/reingold_kaboom.fortune/index.htm | title = Building playgrounds is serious business | last = Reingold | first = Jennifer | journal = Money | date = 20 December 2007 | accessdate = 29 September 2010}} Two years after Hammond's father abandoned the family, Hammond's mother had a breakdown and found herself unable to take care of the children, and they were sent as wards of the court to the Mooseheart Child City & School, a group home in Mooseheart, Illinois.{{cite journal | url = http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20128312,00.html | title = Play, He Said | journal = People | date = May 24, 1999 | volume = 51 | number = 19 | accessdate = 30 September 2010}}{{Cite news |title=Doing their best leads to recognition - Two local activists win awards, N.Y. dinner |work=The Washington Times |date=1999-03-25 |location=Washington, D.C.}} During the 14 happy years he spent at the home before achieving the age of majority,{{cite web|url=http://dowser.org/interview-darell-hammond-on-building-playgrounds-that-transform-communities-1750-and-counting/ |title=Interview: Darell Hammond on building playgrounds that transform communities (1,750 and counting...) |date=24 May 2010 |last=Furbush |first=Julie |author2=Rebecca Robinson |publisher=Dowser.org |accessdate=30 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100929012539/http://dowser.org/interview-darell-hammond-on-building-playgrounds-that-transform-communities-1750-and-counting/ |archive-date=29 September 2010 }}{{cite news | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/27/AR2010082704738.html | title = Helping Out: His life is a playground (or 2,000 of them) (interview) | date = 30 August 2010 | accessdate = 24 September 2010 | work = Washington Post | last = Mizell | first = Vanessa}} he enjoyed his experiences on the group home's playground,{{cite book|last1=Sagawa|first1=Shirley|author2=John Podesta|author3=Michelle Nunn|title=The American Way to Change: How National Service and Volunteers Are Transforming America|year=2010|publisher=John Wiley and Sons|isbn=978-0-470-56557-5|page=[https://archive.org/details/americanwaytocha0000saga/page/79 79]|url=https://archive.org/details/americanwaytocha0000saga/page/79}} and in his junior year at Ripon College first took part in helping to build a community playground, assisting the mother of a friend.{{cite book|last1=Sagawa|first1=Shirley|author2=Eli Segal|title=Common interest, common good: creating value through business and social sector partnerships|year=2000|publisher=Harvard Business Press|isbn=978-0-87584-848-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/commoninterestco00shir/page/30 30]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/commoninterestco00shir/page/30}}

Hammond did not complete college,{{cite book|last1=Doherty|first1=Bob|author2=John Thompson|title=Social enterprise management|year=2006|publisher=Emerald Group Publishing|isbn=978-1-84544-988-9|page=10}} but relocated to Chicago as part of an Urban Studies Fellowship through the Associated Colleges of the Midwest. There, he studied under Dr. John Kretzmann, director of the Assets Based Community Development Institute in the Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. The institute, which focuses on mobilizing struggling communities using resources already at hand, would later serve as a community-build model for KaBOOM! After seeing the influence of the playground he had helped build on its community, Hammond also participated in the Columbus, Ohio, and Chicago engagements of City Year, an AmeriCorps program seeking to build democracy through citizen service and social entrepreneurship.{{Cite web |work=KaBOOM! (Official site) |title=Our Story |url=http://kaboom.org/about_kaboom/our_story |accessdate=2009-10-28 |archive-date=2009-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091027024506/http://kaboom.org/about_kaboom/our_story |url-status=dead }}

In 1995, shortly after he had moved to Washington, D.C.,{{cite web | url = http://www.independentsector.org/hammond_selected_for_ngen_award_20100908 | title = Advocate for Play Darell Hammond to Receive Inaugural American Express NGen Leadership Award | date = 8 September 2010 | accessdate = 24 September 2010 | publisher = Independent Sector | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101125091251/http://independentsector.org/hammond_selected_for_ngen_award_20100908 | archive-date = 25 November 2010 | url-status=dead }} Hammond read a story in The Washington Post about two local children who suffocated while playing in an abandoned car because they had nowhere else to play.{{Cite news |last=Reingold |first=Jennifer |title=Building playgrounds is serious business |work=CNNMoney.com |date=2008-01-02 |url=https://money.cnn.com/2007/12/20/magazines/fortune/reingold_kaboom.fortune/?fb_page_id=5720973755& |accessdate=2009-10-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018144715/https://money.cnn.com/2007/12/20/magazines/fortune/reingold_kaboom.fortune/?fb_page_id=5720973755& |archive-date=2012-10-18 }} This, combined with his prior experiences, inspired Hammond and his friend Dawn Hutchison to address the need for playgrounds for children.{{Cite news |title=Nonprofit may help create a new play area |work=Poughkeepsie Journal |location=Poughkeepsie, New York}} The pair were already committed to designing a day of service for Youth Service America and chose to build their first playground at Livingston Manor in southeast Washington, D.C. The project, which involved over 500 volunteers, took five days in October, 1995.

File:Darell Hammond.jpg

Inspired by the build, Hammond and Hutchison incorporated KaBOOM! in April 1996, though Hutchison would remain with the new organization for only a year. Hammond became the organization's CEO.{{cite book|last1=Wei-Skillern|first1=Jane|author2=James E. Austin|author3=Herman Leonard|author4=Howard Stevenson|title=Entrepreneurship in the social sector|year=2007|publisher=SAGE|isbn=978-1-4129-5137-1|page=377}} When their initial outreach attempts to non-profit foundations proved unsuccessful, they turned to and found support from businesses, beginning with The Home Depot. With the assistance of the business community and Hillary Clinton, who donated money from the sale of her book It Takes a Village, KaBOOM! built 38 playgrounds in 1997.{{Cite news |last=Schoch |first=Deborah |title=New Place for Kids to Park It; Cooperative Effort Brings Playground to a Grateful Fullerton Neighborhood |work=Los Angeles Times |date=1997-10-05 |page=B3}} By 2002, the number had risen to 441, and KaBOOM!'s largest corporate partners included The Home Depot, Nike, Target, Computer Associates and Sprint.Wei-Skillern et al (2007), pp. 377-378. By 1 October 2010, the organization had completed 1,869 playgrounds.{{cite news | url = https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129865300 | title = Entrepreneur's Local Partnerships Help Kids Play | first = Larry | last = Abramson | work = NPR | date = 1 October 2010 | accessdate = 4 October 2010}}

Hammond remained active in the organization, frequently visiting playground sites under construction or renovation by KaBOOM! around the United States and, in 2000, convincing ice cream manufacturer Ben & Jerry's to create the company's first flavor to be named after a non-profit organization, with an appeal for participation written on the label of the new Kaberry KaBOOM! and different incentives provided around the United States.{{cite book|last=Daw|first=Jocelyne|title=Cause-marketing for nonprofits: partner for purpose, passion, and profits|date=16 March 2006|publisher=John Wiley and Sons|isbn=978-0-471-71750-8|page=68}} After hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast in 2005, Hammond pledged to provide 100 playgrounds in the region, a goal he and KaBOOM! surpassed, with 136 playgrounds built as of early September 2010. In 2007, Money magazine indicated that Hammond spent "75% of his work life attending builds, wooing donors, speaking at conferences, and trying to persuade lawmakers of the social value of play." Hammond also attends conferences and universities as a speaker to discuss his work.{{cite web | first = Fiona | last = Haley | url = http://www.fastcompany.com/social/2004/profiles/kaboom.html | title = Social Capitalists: Profile | work = fastcompany.com | accessdate = 30 September 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100830051147/http://www.fastcompany.com/social/2004/profiles/kaboom.html | archive-date = 30 August 2010 | url-status=dead | df = dmy-all }} In addition, he is a blogger at The Huffington Post.{{cite news | url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/darell-hammond | title = Blog Entries by Darell Hammond | publisher = The Huffington Post | accessdate = 30 September 2010}}

In 2015, Hammond stepped down as CEO from KaBOOM!, but continues to serve KaBOOM! in an advisory capacity.{{cite web |url=https://kaboom.org/about_kaboom/press_room/kaboom_appoints_james_siegal_as_ceo |title=KaBOOM! Appoints James Siegal as CEO |work=KaBOOM! Press Room |publisher=KaBOOM! |date=2016-01-29 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122004057/https://kaboom.org/about_kaboom/press_room/kaboom_appoints_james_siegal_as_ceo |archive-date=2016-11-22 |accessdate=2017-10-05 |quote=KaBOOM! Appoints James Siegal as CEO }}

Hammond released a memoir, KaBOOM! How One Man Built a Movement to Save Play, in April 2011.{{cite news | url = http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Making-a-difference/Change-Agent/2011/0425/Darell-Hammond-wants-to-ignite-a-KaBOOM!-in-building-public-playgrounds | title = Darell Hammond wants to ignite a KaBOOM! in building public playgrounds | date = 25 April 2011 | accessdate = 26 April 2011 |work = The Christian Science Monitor}} Published in hardcover by Rodale, Inc., the book reached The New York Times' best-selling list for "Hardcover Nonfiction" in May, 2011, at #4.{{cite news | url = https://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2011-05-15/hardcover-nonfiction/list.html | title = Hardcover Nonfiction | work = New York Times| date = 15 May 2011 |version=Published early on the web | accessdate = 6 May 2011 | first=Jennifer | last=Schuessler}} The book traces Hammond's life from childhood to CEO.{{cite web|url=http://www.rodaleinc.com/products/books/kaboom-one-entrepreneurs-quest-build-community-save-play |title=KaBOOM! One Entrepreneur's Quest to Build Community & SAVE PLAY! |publisher=Rodale, Inc. |accessdate=6 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726002221/http://www.rodaleinc.com/products/books/kaboom-one-entrepreneurs-quest-build-community-save-play |archive-date=26 July 2011 }}

Since launching KaBOOM!, Hammond has personally received a number of honors and awards, including the President's Volunteer Service Award.{{cite web | url = http://www.huntalternatives.org/pages/18_darell_hammond.cfm | title = Darell Hammond | publisher = Hunt Alternatives Fund | accessdate = 30 September 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110727011546/http://www.huntalternatives.org/pages/18_darell_hammond.cfm | archive-date = 27 July 2011 | url-status=dead }} Diet Coke honored Hammond in 1999 as one of five winners of its national "Making a Difference Award".{{cite web |url=http://sic.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail2824.html |title=Darell Hammond KaBOOM! |date=3 November 2005 |accessdate=30 September 2010 |publisher=Conversations Network |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006025022/http://sic.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail2824.html |archive-date=6 October 2010 }} Hammond was named among the "40 Under 40" by Crain's Chicago Business. Hammond was elected to the Fellowship of Ashoka: Innovators for the Public in 2003.{{cite web|url=http://www.ashoka.org/fellow/3143 |title=Darell Hammond |publisher=Ashoka: Innovators for the Public |accessdate=30 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917140218/http://ashoka.org/fellow/3143 |archive-date=17 September 2010 }} In 2004, he was named among the "Power and Influence Top 50" by Non-Profit Times.{{cite web|url=http://www.nptimes.com/aug04/aug04_npt_top50.pdf |title=The NPT Power and Influence Top 50 |publisher=Non-Profit Times |date=1 August 2004 |page=26 |accessdate=30 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071003191745/http://www.nptimes.com/Aug04/Aug04_NPT_Top50.pdf |archive-date=3 October 2007 }} In 2008, Hammond was honored by the Jefferson Awards for Public Service for "Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged" and by the New York University Stern School of Business with its "Satter Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award".{{cite web | url = http://www.jeffersonawards.org/pastwinners/national | title = National Winners | publisher = Jefferson Awards for Public Service | accessdate = 30 September 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101124043935/http://jeffersonawards.org/pastwinners/national | archive-date = 24 November 2010 | url-status = dead }}{{cite news|url=http://www.nynp.biz/index.php/nonprofit-events/180-nyu-conference-of-social-entrepreneurs-on-measuring-social-impact- |title=NYU Conference of Social Entrepreneurs on Measuring Social Impact |date=31 December 2008 |work=New York Nonprofit Press |accessdate=30 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706145540/http://www.nynp.biz/index.php/nonprofit-events/180-nyu-conference-of-social-entrepreneurs-on-measuring-social-impact- |archive-date=6 July 2011 }} In 2010, Hammond received the first American Express NGen Leadership Award, given to recognize professionals under 40 in the nonprofit sector who have had a transformative impact on a socially critical issue, and was also honored by the Washington Business Journal among its "40 Under 40" to recognize "the Washington region's brightest young business leaders".{{cite news | url = http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/event/27531 | title = 40 Under 40 | publisher = Washington Business Journal | accessdate = 30 September 2010}} In 2008, Ripon University bestowed upon him an honorary degree.{{cite web|url=http://www.ripon.edu/special_events/commencement/2008/guests.html |title=Honored Guests |publisher=Ripon University |year=2008 |accessdate=30 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719172957/http://www.ripon.edu/special_events/commencement/2008/guests.html |archive-date=19 July 2011 }}

He was listed in the Forbes 2011 list of the top 30 social entrepreneurs{{cite news|last=Colster|first=Helen|title=Forbes' List of the Top 30 Social Entrepreneurs|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/helencoster/2011/11/30/forbes-list-of-the-top-30-social-entrepreneurs/|accessdate=5 February 2012|newspaper=Forbes|date=30 November 2011}} and was named as a "Health hero" by WebMD.{{cite web|title=WebMD Health Heroes|url=http://www.webmd.com/healthheroes/2011-honorees#hammond|publisher=WebMD|accessdate=5 February 2012}} He was also named as a Schwab social entrepreneur by the Schwab Foundation.{{cite web|title=Hammond Darell |url=http://www.schwabfound.org/sf/SocialEntrepreneurs/Profiles/index.htm?sname=0&sorganization=85427&sarea=0&ssector=0&stype=0 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909012454/http://www.schwabfound.org/sf/SocialEntrepreneurs/Profiles/index.htm?sname=0&sorganization=85427&sarea=0&ssector=0&stype=0 |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 September 2012 |publisher=Schwab Foundation |accessdate=5 February 2012 }}

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Category:Living people

Category:American philanthropists

Category:American nonprofit chief executives

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:People from Jerome, Idaho