Outreach Therapy, Inc.

Outreach Theraplay is a non profit organization that strives to facilitate community integration by providing play resources all over the globe, regardless of the environmental, financial, and/or accessibility challenges. Our mission is to utilize resources within communities throughout the world to create sustainable and diverse play opportunities for people of all abilities.

We are a nonprofit organization dreamed up and founded by Kristy Nalder and Allison Merlo, both Pediatric Occupational Therapists. Kristy and Allison ultimately came together to form Outreach Theraplay to live out their passions of helping children with disabilities find community, happiness, and hope for the future.

Play is a vital part of any child's development, but unfortunately most playgrounds around the world are inaccessible to children with disabilities. Outreach Theraplay plans to change that by traveling to countries all over, whether they be third world or first world, to build playgrounds that are accommodating to all children. Whether a child can run for hours or rolls in a wheel chair, our playgrounds will help every child play, imagine, and laugh without limitations.

Outreach Theraplay is in its first year of becoming an organization. We encourage you to explore our website and to reach out to us for any additional information, if you'd like to donate to our cause, or better yet, help us build our first playground in Haiti this year!

Lots of love always,

The Outreach Theraplay Team

Kristy Nalder- Founder

Kristy was born and raised in the small town of Gardnerville, Nevada. She graduated from The University of Nevada, Reno with a degree in Psychology. She then went on to obtain her Master's degree in Occupational Therapy at Midwestern University in Phoenix, Arizona. Kristy has worked in pediatric outpatient clinics in both Phoenix and San Diego. She now works for the San Diego Unified School District as an Occupational Therapist. Kristy has always had a desire to travel and embraces the opportunity to learn about new cultures.

Allison Merlo- Founder

Allison was born and raised on Long Island, New York. She graduated form the University of Scranton with her Bachelors in Occupational Therapy with minors in Psychology and Counseling and Human Services in 2012 and her Masters in Occupational Therapy in 2013. She is now working as a School Based Occupational Therapist in Southwest Phoenix and a Pediatric Occupational Therapist at Head to Toe Therapy, Inc. She is an elite triathlete who has completed Ironman and half Ironman races, she competed for Team USA at the world championships in 2017 and completed an ultra ironman as the first female to ever to complete Project DM Extreme Triathlon. She is also a registered yoga instructor, she teaches incarcerated veterans and juveniles within the jail system. Allison loves to incorporate yoga and mindful movement into therapy treatment sessions as it certainly benefits play and development!