LOS ANGELES, Nov. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- LA's BEST
After School Enrichment Program, a partnership of the City of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified
School District's Beyond the Bell Branch and the private sector is
expanding student health and wellness with $20,000 in financial and in-kind resources from
California dairy families, the Los
Angeles Rams and the National Foundation on Fitness, Sports &
Nutrition (NFFSN) through a special award celebrated November 17th at Limerick
Avenue Elementary School in Canoga
Park. The $10,000 'Hometown
Grant' being awarded to LA's BEST came from a partnership between
California dairy families and the
Los Angeles Rams through the Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP 60) program
and was matched by the NFFSN in support of the Presidential Youth
Fitness Program's 60th anniversary celebration.
"LA's BEST knows that keeping our kids healthy is a part of
their overall well-being," said Eric Gurna, President & CEO of
LA's BEST. "This is why, each year we provide the more than 25,000
students we serve with unique opportunities to learn about the
importance of healthy eating and exercise. It is an honor to
receive this grant through the FUTP 60 program, which will help
students be more active, healthier and happier."
The 'Hometown Grant,' and match means students in the LA's BEST
program will join the 13 million students who are eating healthier,
16 million students who are being more active and 130,000 adults
who are enrolled and empowering youth in the United States through one national program
– FUTP 601.
"Our California dairy farm families are pleased to ensure LA's
BEST students have access to healthy eating programs and options
for physical activity both during and after-school," said
Jennifer Giambroni, Director of
Communications for the California Milk Advisory Board/Real
California Milk. "Partnering with the Los Angeles Rams to celebrate
the awarding of resources, which will be shared across 750 square
miles, is a remarkable accomplishment and a reason we activate FUTP
60 throughout the state."
Developed by FUTP 60 and the National Football League (NFL), the
'Hometown Grant' program provides teams and farmer funded dairy
organizations like Real California Milk with the opportunity to
identify deserving schools and school districts and provide them
with funding to help meet their health and wellness goals.
Each of the 32 NFL Clubs are partnering with FUTP 60 and local
dairy representatives to provide $10,000 grants in communities throughout the
country totaling a $320,000
investment in youth health and wellness. For the 2016 season, the
National Foundation on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition is matching
the NFL's donation with $10,000 in
resources to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the
President's Council of Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, which is the
nation's youth fitness education and assessment program.
"As the Rams return home to Los
Angeles, we are passionate about establishing meaningful
school partnerships throughout the region," said Molly Higgins, Vice President/Community Affairs
and Engagement for the Los Angeles Rams. "In our first year back,
we are proud to award LA's BEST with this financial support through
the FUTP 60 program and our partnership with the California dairy farm families. We look
forward to expanding our partnership and geographic reach in
subsequent seasons."
Created in partnership by the NFL and National Dairy Council, in
collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fuel Up to
Play 60 is the nation's largest in-school wellness program creating
real transformational change in more than 73,000 schools
nationwide. The national in-school nutrition and physical-activity
program is activated in California
by the state's more than 1,300 dairy farm families. Since fall
2014, FUTP 60 has helped to award more than $430,000 in grants to schools throughout
California in support of their
wellness goals.
About the Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams – Los
Angeles' original professional sports team – stand as one of
the oldest franchises in the National Football League and since its
founding in 1937, have garnered three World Championships and sent
29 of its members to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As a
professional sports team, the organization is committed to being a
valuable civic partner and serving the greater Los Angeles area 365 days a year. For more
information visit www.therams.com and follow the Rams on Facebook
and Twitter, @RamsNFL.
About the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB)
The
California Milk Advisory Board (Real California Milk), an
instrumentality of the California Department of Food and
Agriculture, is funded by the state's dairy farm families. With
headquarters in Tracy, the CMAB is
one of the largest agricultural marketing boards in the United States. The CMAB executes
advertising, public relations, research and retail and foodservice
promotional programs on behalf of California dairy products, including Real
California Milk and Real California Cheese, throughout the U.S. and
internationally. For more information and to connect with the CMAB
through social media, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com, like at
Facebook, view videos at YouTube, follow at Twitter and Instagram,
and pin at Pinterest.
About Fuel Up to Play 60
Fuel Up to Play 60 is an
in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by
National Football League (NFL) and National Dairy Council (NDC),
which was founded by America's dairy farmers, in collaboration with
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Fuel Up to Play 60 is
designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own
health by implementing long-term, positive changes for themselves
and their schools. The program additionally encourages youth to
consume nutrient-rich foods (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits,
vegetables and whole grains) and achieve at least 60 minutes of
physical activity every day. As a result of the program, last year
14 million students made better food choices and are getting more
physically active during the school day. Fuel Up to Play 60 is
further supported by several health and nutrition organizations:
Action for Healthy Kids, American Academy of Family Physicians,
American Academy of Pediatrics, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Association/Foundation, National Hispanic Medical Association,
National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association.
Visit FuelUpToPlay60.com to learn more.
About National Foundation on Fitness, Sports &
Nutrition
The National Foundation on Fitness, Sports &
Nutrition believes that the strongest America is one where every
citizen has the opportunity to lead a healthy lifestyle. As the
official foundation of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports
& Nutrition, the National Foundation is the only
congressionally chartered nonprofit with the sole focus to help
more Americans be active, play sports & eat healthy. Through
private donations and partnerships, the Foundation supports
programs and initiatives that educate, engage, and empower
Americans of all backgrounds and abilities to adopt a healthy
lifestyle. For more information, visit fitness.foundation.
About LA's BEST After School Enrichment Program
LA's
BEST After School Enrichment Program was created in 1988 by
Los Angeles City Mayor
Tom Bradley to address the lack of
quality, caring and safe programs for children during the critical
after school hours of 3 p.m. to 6
p.m. Today, LA's BEST serves more than 25,000 students at
193 elementary school sites through the Los Angeles Unified School
District's Beyond the Bell Branch. For more information, visit
www.lasbest.org.
1. https://www.fueluptoplay60.com/
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SOURCE California Milk Advisory Board