Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) today announced that over 200 Morgan Stanley and community volunteers will build a playground at the KIPP Climb Academy as part of the Morgan Stanley’s Healthy Cities initiative. Providing safe play spaces is a core component of the Healthy Cities Houston program, which provides comprehensive resources children need to succeed – access to health education and screenings, sustainable delivery of nutritious food and opportunities for safe play and exercise. The design for the new playground is based on children’s drawings created at a special design event in May.

“We are thrilled to build a second playground bringing more than 550 children from the KIPP Climb Academy one step closer to having the play-filled childhood they deserve,” said Joan Steinberg, Global Head of Philanthropy, Morgan Stanley. “This new playground build reinforces Morgan Stanley’s commitment to improving childhood health and wellness, and being a trusted partner in the Houston communities where we live and work.”

Since Healthy Cities Houston launched in 2015, the program has provided 939,466 pounds of food, including over 659,000 pounds of fresh produce and 3,850 health screenings. Through Healthy Cities, Morgan Stanley is collaborating with national and Houston area nonprofit organizations, including the Houston Food Bank, Brighter Bites and a network of local health partners, to connect otherwise separate programs and create a linked package of wellness education and screenings, nutritious foods and safe play spaces for children in underserved Houston neighbourhoods.

Morgan Stanley Healthy Cities was launched in 2014 and has since delivered programming in Chicago, IL; Newark , NJ; Oakland, CA; London, UK; Cleveland, OH; Houston, TX; Mumbai, India; New Orleans, LA and Baltimore, MD. For more information about Healthy Cities, please visit www.morganstanley.com/healthycities/ and follow #HealthyCities.

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in more than 43 countries, the Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For further information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.