The Children’s Aid Society is proud to announce an award of $2.3 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention grants. Spread over five years, the grants will finance a wide range of practical and educational programming at Children’s Aid locations, all designed to promote healthy food choices on a limited budget and active lifestyles.
“One of the bedrock principles of our mission at Children’s Aid is that youngsters who are healthy are best positioned for success in school and in life,” said Phoebe Boyer, president and CEO of Children’s Aid Society. “We work in neighborhoods where health issues such as childhood obesity and asthma are particularly acute and can have devastating effects. As a result, we are compelled to help educate and guide children and families toward more healthful living. This grant will be crucial in our pursuit of that goal.”
The grant will support an array of projects and services:
- Nutrition education workshops and events
- Physical activity demonstrations that will promote participation in fitness activities at Children’s Aid sites
- Nutrition and wellness committees at Children’s Aid sites to establish and reinforce nutrition and obesity prevention policies and programs
- Staff nutrition education to establish them as healthy role models
- Food box distribution
- Food and cooking demonstrations at events, fairs, and food box distribution sites
- Vegetable gardens that will serve as a source of health education
- Comprehensive marketing and social media plan to provide educational materials and to spread health and food information to larger audiences
“We are thrilled at the opportunities this grant offers us in the way establishing lifelong healthy habits for children and families in New York City,” said Beverly Colon, vice president of the Health and Wellness Division of Children’s Aid. “Our Go!Healthy nutrition and wellness program has already had an amazing impact on so many in the Bronx, Harlem, Washington Heights, and northern Staten Island. It’s incredibly exciting to have these new resources to substantially expand that impact.”
The Children’s Aid Society is an independent, nonprofit organization established to serve the children of New York City. Our mission is to help children in poverty to succeed and thrive. We do this by providing comprehensive supports to children and their families in targeted high-needs New York City neighborhoods. Founded in 1853, it is one of the nation’s largest and most innovative non-sectarian agencies, serving New York’s neediest children. Services are provided in community schools, neighborhood centers, health clinics and camps. For additional information, please call Anthony Ramos at (212) 949-4938/ (917) 204-8214, email anthonyr@childrensaidsociety.org or visit www.childrensaidsociety.org.