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Healthier K-12 Schools: Kaiser Permanente Southern California Awards $1.4 Million in Grants to Increase Healthy Eating and Physical ActivityLOS ANGELES --(Business Wire)-- Kaiser Permanente Southern California continues its long-standing commitment to total health - creating healthier schools for students, teachers and staff by improving healthy eating and physical activity at schools throughout southern California. Kaiser Permanente has announced 13 Thriving School Partnership Grants totaling $1.364 million over two years. These grants will provide opportunities for school districts and educational organizations to work with target schools to institute policy, environmental and program changes creating a culture of health in school communities. "Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping children form healthy habits early in life," said Robert Riewerts, MD, pediatrician, Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park Medical Center and pediatric obesity champion. "By enhancing the school environment, we are strengthening the culture of staff wellness in schools and engaging families and communities so that children and adolescents eat better and maintain an active lifestyle." The Thriving School Partnership Grants will enable schools to implement worksite wellness policies and programs for school staff, strengthen the United States Department of Agriculture required school wellness policies, develop strategies that encourage all students to be active during recess, increase activity breaks in the classroom, improve physical education classes and find creative ways to offer more fruits and vegetables. Here are the 13 two-year grant recipients by area:
The Thriving School Partnership Grants are a part of Kaiser Permanente's Thriving School's initiative expanding the health care organization's commitment to the total health of its members and the communities it serves through work with local schools and school districts. Thriving Schools, which launched nationally last year, is designed to build healthy, sustainable communities by creating a culture of health in schools. It provides prevention-focused, evidence-based wellness tools - at no cost - to any school. The multi-year campaign includes a website with free, ready-to-use tools and resources for schools. The website also provides a place to share ideas and success stories, as well as spark change that can strengthen the health and well-being of schools. Learn more about Thriving Schools at www.thrivingschools.kaiserpermanente.org. About Kaiser Permanente Southern California Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high quality, affordable health care services to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve more than 3.7 million members in Southern California. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: kp.org/share.
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