Hancock Whitney – one of the safest, strongest banks in the country - in partnership with the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORD) and KABOOM! revealed a new kid-designed playground at the Milne Recreation Center. Located within the Milneburg/Gentilly neighborhood, the playground ensures children have a safe and educational place to play. This new build marks the fourth playground project Hancock Whitney has built alongside KABOOM!, a national nonprofit organization working to end playspace inequity.
The project is part of Hancock Whitney’s continued purpose of creating positive opportunities for the residents of the communities the bank serves. Supporting the bank’s commitment to financial education, the new playspace features fun, playful learning experiences that incorporate elementary-level math and literacy concepts.
“At Hancock Whitney, we believe that kids can be the catalyst to building stronger communities and these play spaces are critical for physical and mental health, providing an outlet for imagination, creativity and just being a kid,” said Hancock Whitney Regional President Liz Hefler. “This initiative is about creating opportunities for kids to imagine bright futures - and we hope they learn a little while they play.”
More than 125 volunteers from Hancock Whitney, NORD, and the local New Orleans community came together to transform the space, which now includes an ADA accessible swing set, imaginative play spaces, as well as math and literacy games to introduce important financial education concepts.
The KABOOM! playground planning began in February 2025, with design sessions including both local children and adults who shared their input and discussed goals for the space. Consistent with Hancock Whitney’s aim of introducing financial education concepts to children, attendees participated in a budgeting experience on Design Day, challenging students to “build” a playground while staying within budget.
“The new playground structure at the Milne campus has been a long time coming and will bring families together at a safe space for kids to play at a welcoming place right in their neighborhood,” said Larry Barabino, Jr., CEO of NORD. “This project shows what’s possible when donors such as Kaboom, Hancock Whitney and Gentilly Development District (DDD) listen to our community and work alongside us to create spaces that reflect their vision. We’re grateful to everyone who came out to celebrate this milestone and look forward to seeing the memories made here for years to come.”
Since the late 1800’s, Hancock Whitney has embodied core values of Honor & Integrity, Strength & Stability, Commitment to Service, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility. Hancock Whitney offices and financial centers in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas offer comprehensive financial products and services, including traditional and online banking; commercial and small business banking; private banking; trust and investment services; healthcare banking; and mortgage services. The company also operates combined loan and deposit production offices in the greater metropolitan areas of Nashville, Tennessee and Atlanta, Georgia. More information is available at www.hancockwhitney.com.
The New Orleans Recreation Development Commission provides safe, wholesome, educational, recreational, and culturally engaging opportunities to the residents of New Orleans. For more information about NORD, visit www.nordc.org.
KABOOM! is the national nonprofit committed to ending playspace inequity – the reality that quality places to play are not available to every child, especially in communities of color. Since 1996, KABOOM! has partnered with kids and communities to create or transform 17,000+ playspaces and ensure that nearly 12 million kids have equitable access to the critical benefits and opportunities that playspaces offer. KABOOM! continues to make progress on its 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity through new partnerships with a goal of accelerating efforts in 25 municipal systems toward achieving their mission at scale across the United States. Learn more at kaboom.org or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.