Action for Healthy Kids® and Cargill Provide Grants to Schools to Expand Student Access to Healthy Foods and Physical Activity

CHICAGO, Oct. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Action for Healthy Kids® (AFHK) announces 50 recipients of School Grants for Healthy Kids for the 2016-2017 school year provided through funding from Cargill. Awarded to schools in Iowa, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, the grants support AFHK's Game On program and aim to expand student access to in-school physical activity and healthy foods, improve knowledge and behaviors around exercise and nutrition, and engage parents in activities that reinforce healthy habits at home.

"It is thanks to the support of partners like Cargill that we are able to expand our reach and have an impact on so many more schools, students and communities," said Rob Bisceglie, CEO, Action for Healthy Kids. "The funding from Cargill connects schools with much-needed resources for their wellness initiatives and acknowledges the impact of physical activity and good nutrition on children's health and learning."

Through its Game On program, AFHK provides schools with technical support to activate their grants, assistance with developing their school health teams and assessing their school health environment, and other tools and resources. Schools receive $1,000 grants that will be used for a variety of wellness purposes that will impact more than 23,000 students, including:

• Nutrition components, such as education, school gardens, taste tests, and healthy classroom parties and celebrations; and
• Physical activity components, such as funding for physical education, active indoor and outdoor recess, classroom energizers, walking and running clubs, and before- and after-school programs.

"Ensuring that children are receiving proper nutrition during school and learning healthy habits to share at home plays a critical role in helping kids in food-insecure households," said Michelle Grogg, senior director, corporate responsibility at Cargill, noting the launch of the grants during World Hunger Action Month.  "We know these grants from Action for Healthy Kids go a long way, and we look forward to seeing the great things schools will accomplish this year."

For more information and a complete list of schools funded by Cargill in the 2016-2017 school year, contact [email protected].  

About Action for Healthy Kids®
Action for Healthy Kids® is a nationwide grassroots network mobilizing school professionals, families and communities to take actions that improve school foods, nutrition education, physical activity and physical education for all students. Through funding opportunities, expert technical assistance, and our flagship program, Game On, Action for Healthy Kids supports schools in developing healthy environments where children thrive. To learn more about the ways our 100,000+ volunteer network is helping to make every kid healthy, active and ready to learn, visit us at www.ActionforHealthyKids.org, on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/act4healthykids) and on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Act4HlthyKids).

About Cargill
Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Together with farmers, customers, governments and communities, we help people thrive by applying our insights and 150 years of experience. We have 150,000 employees in 70 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.

SOURCE Action for Healthy Kids

Related Links

http://www.ActionforHealthyKids.org