Nonprofit organization Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) has established a collaboration with its first automotive partner, and five new partners for its Let’s Move! Active Schools initiative, at the fourth annual Building a Healthier Future Summit. The new associates are going to help the organization with its mission of supporting healthier options for both parents and families, as well as end childhood obesity in the United States.
Mercedes-Benz USA as well as Athletes for Hope, GoNoodle, Good Sports, Kids in the Game and Safe Routes to School National Partnership are PHA’s new partners, each of them with individual commitments to the improvement of physical activity in schools. The six new partners together with honorary chair First Lady Michelle Obama will join a network in the private sector that will help PHA tackle childhood obesity.
“Today, Mercedes-Benz USA and our newest Let’s Move! Active Schools supporters are making long-term, meaningful commitments to help end childhood obesity,” said the CEO of PHA Lawrence Soler. “We are proud that our first automotive partner has joined us in this fight, and that the commitment to Let’s Move! Active Schools continues to grow. We look forward to all these new partners will do to help today’s youth stay active and healthy.”
Mercedes committed to the construction of a national sports-based youth development coaching force dedicated to improving the quality and amount of physical activity programs for youngsters. In addition, the company is going to invest more than $10 million over three years, which will be used to support Laureus USA and its programs to design, train, place and support sport-based youth development coaches and organizations in schools from 25 cities across the country.
“Investing in our youth and giving back to our local communities are integral to the culture at Mercedes-Benz USA,” said president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, Stephen Cannon. The program is expected to impact 125,000 children over the three years. “Our ongoing collaboration and commitment to Laureus USA combines our passion for community and sports in a way that is making an impact. We look forward to continue helping kids across the country build healthier futures.”
In addition, Mercedes-Benz USA also committed to offer grants to organizations that train and place over 1,000 coaches in after-school sports programs to encourage these organizations to engage in the Seven Essential Practices for Kid’s Physical Activity Programs from the PHA, as well as strengthen the development programs focused on sports, and its work regarding positive social, emotional and health in the younger population.
The other partners committed to the program’s goal of offering 60 minutes of exercise per day in schools. The nonprofit organization Athletes for Hope will start administrating an athlete visit program to gather schools and sports leaders and discuss the importance of exercise, while the producer of desk-side physical activities GoNoodle will engage in targeted outreach campaigns dedicated to assisting teachers in incorporating exercise in school.
Lastly, Good Sports athletic equipment will offer sports equipment grant applications for schools included in the Let’s Move! Active Schools; nonprofit organization Kids in the Game will provide a total of $250,000 in funding to the schools of the program; and the organizational, governmental and private network The Safe Routes to School National Partnership will use part of its Fire Up Your Feet (FUYF) Challenge Awards for these schools as well.