Dr Pepper Snapple Group announced Let’s Play, a community partnership designed to get U.S. kids active nationwide. The first Let’s Play initiative will be a $15 million, three-year commitment to KaBOOM!, the national non-profit that’s saving play by ensuring there is a great place to play within walking distance of every child. Together, through Let’s Play, DPS and KaBOOM! will build or fix up 2,000 playgrounds by the end of 2013, benefiting an estimated five million children across North America.

With the launch of Let’s Play, DPS will continue to promote fit and active lifestyles, a key component of ACTION Nation, DPS’ corporate philanthropy program. The company will offer a variety of the campaign’s grants via KaBOOM!, which will help communities build new playgrounds, update existing playgrounds or keep playgrounds open longer. DPS and employee volunteers will build 40 of the new playgrounds.

In the past two years, DPS has worked with KaBOOM! to build 13 new playgrounds, giving more than 32,500 children great places to play. The company completed its most recent KaBOOM! playground in Victorville, California. DPS’ Mott’s brand also sponsored the second annual KaBOOM! Play Day in September. During the weeklong event, more than 1,500 communities across the nation participated in fun outdoor activities and improved local play spaces and parks.

In addition to the launch of Let’s Play, DPS has set a goal that at least 50% of products in its innovation pipeline will be health and wellness focused by 2015. This includes reduced calorie products, offering options with smaller portion sizes and improving the nutrition offerings in its portfolio.

More information about how communities nationwide can join the Let’s Play initiative will be available in January 2011.