ABC7 Chicago and Leah Hope Highlight Hello Baby’s Mission to Bring Free Play to Woodlawn! October 23, 2025
We were thrilled to welcome ABC7 Chicago and the wonderful Leah Hope to Hello Baby! 🎉 As part of their Black History Month coverage, they stopped by to shine a spotlight on our mission to provide a free, enriching play space for early childhood in the Woodlawn community.
Leah Hope captured the essence of what makes Hello Baby so special.
Founded by Debbie Frisch in 2017, our nonprofit is dedicated to filling the gap in affordable play opportunities, especially in the South and West Side neighborhoods. We call these areas “play deserts” due to the lack of accessible play spaces.
Our very own Shavon Townsend, who started as a volunteer and is now a program provider, shared her excitement about being part of this incredible initiative. 🥳
Hello Baby isn’t just a place to play; it’s a community where children develop essential skills through play, from reading and language to executive function and conflict navigation. With thousands of visitors over the years and an 80% return rate, we’re proud to be making a difference.
Stay tuned as we expand to Avalon Park this fall, and continue to create more opportunities for young children in other Black and brown communities.
Thank you, ABC7 and Leah Hope, for highlighting our work and helping us spread the word! 📺✨
See the full story on Chicago’s ABC7.