Highmark Foundation Funds Local Projects in Support of Michelle Obama's Let's Move Cities, Towns and Counties Partnerships

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Highmark Foundation is joining forces with the Let's Move Cities, Towns and Counties campaign launched by first lady Michelle Obama to address childhood obesity through community-based physical activity and nutrition programs. The foundation has awarded $70,000 to "Let's Move Cities, Towns and Counties" in Pennsylvania and West Virginia that are a part of this national campaign.

"The Highmark Foundation supports the Let's Move philosophy that everyone has a role to play in reducing childhood obesity," said Highmark Foundation President Yvonne Cook. "By collaborating with communities, schools and parents, it's our hope that efforts will reach more children. We applaud the community leadership of those neighborhoods that have become a Let's Move City, Town and County community, so that their children will live healthier lives."

The grants are being awarded to Lancaster, Mercer and Dauphin counties in Pennsylvania, and Wood County, W.Va. The Let's Move campaign is a comprehensive effort dedicated to solving the problem of childhood obesity within a generation so that children born today will live healthier lives than the previous generation.

According to a recent report from the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity, some recommendations include increasing the number of safe and accessible playgrounds, particularly in underserved communities, and urging local governments to enter into joint-use agreements to increase children's access to community sites for indoor and outdoor recreation. Click here to download a copy of the report. Download the Full Report PDF [3.3MB]

The Highmark Foundation grants will be applied toward the following projects:

• The borough of Columbia in Lancaster County – A $10,000 grant will provide playground structures and promote physical activity among children at Rotary Park.
  
• The city of Farrell in Mercer County – A $25,000 grant will increase recreational opportunities at the Emerson Avenue playground, including opening school facilities for use by children of residents to promote physical activity.
  
• The city of Harrisburg in Dauphin County – A $25,000 grant will be used to conduct the IRONKID Challenge where children must meet physical activity standards to qualify for IRONKID recognition.
  
• The city of Parkersburg in Wood County, W.Va. – A $5,000 grant will advertise and promote increased healthy food options at local farmers markets in underserved populations.

About the Let's Move! Initiative

The Let's Move! initiative is a comprehensive program, launched by the first lady, dedicated to solving the problem of obesity within a generation, so that kids born today will grow up healthier and be able to pursue their dreams.

As part of this effort, President Barack Obama established the first-ever Task Force on Childhood Obesity to develop and implement an inter-agency plan that details a coordinated strategy, identifies key benchmarks and outlines an action plan to end the problem of childhood obesity within a generation.

About the Highmark Foundation

Created in 2000, the Highmark Foundation is a charitable organization, a private foundation and an affiliate of Highmark Inc. Its mission is to improve the health, well-being and quality of life for individuals who live in the communities served by Highmark Inc., its affiliates and subsidiaries. In 2006, the Foundation launched Highmark Healthy High 5, a children's health promotion initiative designed to improve the health of children and adolescents, ages 6-18. Through a $100 million commitment, Highmark Healthy High 5 addresses five critical issues – nutrition, physical activity, grieving, self-esteem and bullying prevention.

Find more information about the Highmark Foundation at www.highmarkfoundation.com and Highmark Healthy High 5 at www.highmarkhealthyhigh5org.

SOURCE Highmark Foundation