Action for Healthy Kids® and CSX® Award Physical Activity Grants to 200 Schools in 10 States
Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) announced today that it is partnering with CSX to award 200 schools in 10 states with School Grants for Healthy Kids, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 each, for the 2013-2014 school year. Totaling $700,000, the grants will focus on increasing daily physical activity for approximately 75,000 students. Additionally, CSX will host service events at select granted schools, where CSX employees will volunteer their time and resources to improve the schools’ physical activity environments.
Multiple studies show that kids who get regular physical activity experience improvements in both their fitness levels and brain function. Yet one in two U.S. students doesn’t receive PE in an average week. The funding from CSX recognizes the importance of physical activity on children’s health and helps to fill a gap in the national resources provided to schools for wellness initiatives.
“Although physical activity is recognized as an important component in fighting childhood obesity, it is often overshadowed by nutrition initiatives,” explains AFHK CEO Rob Bisceglie. “We are thrilled that CSX has partnered with Action for Healthy Kids’ efforts to make kids healthier by focusing on this crucial piece of the equation. Their support will enable us to provide direct assistance to schools to get students moving and prime their brains for learning.”
School Grants for Healthy Kids funded activities will aim to increase students’ physical activity to 30 minutes per day in school and influence them to be active for an additional 30 minutes per day outside of school; improve student knowledge, attitudes and behaviors around physical activity; and engage CSX employees and parents of students to support physical activity at school and at home.
The commitment is a natural extension for CSX, which has long provided innovative health and wellness initiatives to its employees.
“CSX is focused on wellness, and supporting physical activity in schools is a great way for us to share this priority with the communities we serve,” says Tori Kaplan, CSX’s assistant vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility. “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Action for Healthy Kids in this important work.”
School Grants for Healthy Kids funds will be distributed to schools in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia.
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For information, please contact:
Lorna Grisby
(312) 878-7672
lorna@actionforhealthykids.org
About Action for Healthy Kids®
Action for Healthy Kids® (AFHK) fights childhood obesity, undernourishment and physical inactivity by helping schools become healthier places so kids can live healthier lives. The organization partners with a legion of dedicated volunteers – teachers, students, moms, dads, school wellness experts and more – from within the ranks of its 50,000+ constituency to create healthful school changes. After all, everyone has a part to play in ending the nation's childhood obesity epidemic. AFHK’s programs, tools and resources make it possible so that many people can.
AFHK’s grassroots efforts are supported by a collaboration of more than 75 organizations, corporations and government agencies. Working together, they’re giving kids the keys to health and academic success by meeting them where they are – in the classroom, in the cafeteria and on the playground – with fun physical activity and nutrition lessons and changes that make it possible for them to eat nutritiously and play every day. More information is available at www.ActionforHealthyKids.org, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Action-for-Healthy-Kids/267076500068 and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Act4HlthyKids.
About CSX
CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company. It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural, and consumer products. For more than 185 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nation’s economic expansion and industrial development. Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nation’s population resides. It also links more than 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and small farming towns alike. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com. Like us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/OfficialCSX) and follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX).