MINNEAPOLIS - (Business Wire) The program is being piloted in Washington, D.C., an area with one of the highest rates of childhood obesity in the nation. The grassroots grants program targets schools and nonprofit organizations that focus on helping children eat healthy and stay physically fit.
The grants were announced Thursday morning at a news conference with Mayor Adrian Fenty and members of the Mayor’s Commission on Food and Nutrition -- which selected the four grant recipients – and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.
“The young people of the District of Columbia deserve every opportunity to live fruitful and healthy lives,” said Mayor Fenty. “The generous donation from the General Mills Foundation gives organizations that work directly with the community the resources they need to improve the health of our youth.”
The first grant recipients, who will each receive $25,000, are:
- Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Charter School:
A wellness initiative aimed at improving the health and well-being of students, parents and staff.
The “Choosing Healthy and Rewarding Meals (CHARM)” program for teens at Eastern Senior High School.
An innovative program that uses food-focused activities to teach life skills and healthy living to teenagers in a creative setting.
- The Young Women's Project:
A leadership program that helps teens make healthy decisions.
“We are deeply grateful to the General Mills Foundation and the Mayor’s Commission on Food and Nutrition for supporting the CHARM School program,” according to Dr. Danielle Dooley, a Unity Health Care pediatrician at Upper Cardozo Health Center and Eastern High School.
“This grant helps reach kids while they are in school and respond to their health needs,” she said. “It also enables us to continue a program designed especially with the needs of our students in mind. When it comes to obesity, there is no one-size-fits-all approach.”
In addition to the grants, General Mills is partnering with the District of Columbia Public Schools and the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports to support district schools, providing free Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) emblems and certificates for all public school students in grades 2-8 who complete the program. The PALA Awards recognize young people who engage in physical activity for at least one hour, five days a week for six consecutive weeks.
“Investing in health and nutrition education can have a far-reaching effect on helping children learn how to eat healthy and stay physically active," said Ellen Luger, Ellen Goldberg Luger, executive director of the General Mills Foundation. "We are proud to support the District of Columbia's innovative efforts to empower programs that offer youth the motivation and the resources to lead healthy, active lives."
In addition to the Healthy Communities grants, General Mills supports the national Champions for Healthy Kids initiative, a partnership of the General Mills Foundation, the American Dietetic Association Foundation (ADAF) and the President’s Council on Physical Fitness that each year provides grants of $10,000 each to 50 nonprofit organizations. The effort also includes sponsorship of the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) in select cities such as Minneapolis.
Since 2002, General Mills has invested nearly $11 million in overall youth nutrition and fitness programs that have served more than 2 million children across the U.S.
A recent independent study of the Champions program found that the investment of $10,000 for nutrition and fitness education can go a long way in helping children learn how to eat healthy and stay physically fit. The evaluation showed that the greatest behavior change among children was an increase in physical activity, especially among African-American youth. But awareness of the importance of good nutrition – such as eating fruits and vegetables – also increased.
About General Mills Foundation:
The General Mills Foundation, celebrating more than 50 years of giving, focuses on nourishing communities. In fiscal 2007, General Mills awarded $82 million to communities across the country, representing more than 5 percent of company pretax profits that year. Of the total, the General Mills Foundation contributed more than $20 million in grants in the targeted areas of youth nutrition and fitness, social services, education, and arts and culture.
About Mayor’s Commission on Food and Nutrition:
Washington, DC is one of the first cities in America to establish a Mayor’s Commission on Food and Nutrition. The Commission duties include evaluating the impact of the cities various nutrition services, while offering ideas and strategies that would improve our citizen’s access and use of healthy nutritious food. Commission members include District Department heads, citizens, educators and advocates.
General Mills
Ann Merrill, 612-269-4810
or
Donna Svendsen, 763-764-4150
Photos available upon request
