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New York Giants Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie's Dreambuilders, Blessings in a Backpack, UnitedHealthcare Provide Food to New York City ChildrenNEW YORK --(Business Wire)-- New York Giants Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie's Dreambuilders program, Blessings in a Backpack and UnitedHealthcare are providing healthy meals to 250 children at PS 15 in Manhattan, and PS 502 and PS 102 in Brooklyn every weekend for a year. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie of the New York Giants and Michael McGuire, CEO of UnitedHealthcare of New York and New Jersey (both, back left) look on as Anabelle Colon of P.S. 15 (lower left) and Paul Brant of UnitedHealthcare (lower right) try to beat Rodgers-Cromartie in a 60-second health quiz. Anabelle was one of 30 students from P.S. 15 who participated in health-related events today to kick off his "food for children" initiative. Dreambuilders, Blessings in a Backpack and UnitedHealthcare are providing healthy meals to 250 children at PS 15 in Manhattan, and PS 502 and PS 102 in Brooklyn every weekend for a year (PHOTO: Gerard Gaskin). Dreambuilders and UnitedHealthcare today kicked off this year's "food for children" initiative with fun-filled, healthy activities for students at PS 15. Dominique went toe-to-toe with students, testing their health knowledge on topics such as healthy eating and exercise; taking them through some football-style warm-ups; and throwing the football with the students. He also talked to them about the importance of being physically active and staying healthy. "Access to healthy foods and staying active are critical to helping kids reach their full potential. This year, we are working with Blessings in a Backpack and UnitedHealthcare to get bags of food into the hands of kids who need it the most and to keep them fed on the weekends, when they don't have access to meals at school," said Rodgers-Cromartie, who launched his Dreambuilders program after joining the New York Giants earlier this year. "I look forward to working with UnitedHealthcare to explore what more we can do together to help children grow up healthier." "Programs such as Dreambuilders help address a significant need in our communities - giving children access to healthy food," said Michael McGuire, CEO, UnitedHealthcare of New York and New Jersey. "We're grateful for the opportunity to partner with Dreambuilders and Blessings in a Backpack, and look forward to expanding this program to include nutrition education and physical activity tohelp children - and their families - develop a lifelong commitment to good health." In 2012, nearly 474,000 - or one in four - children in New York City lived in households that did not have an adequate food supply, a 31-percent increase from 2006-2008, according to a study by the New York City Coalition against Hunger. "It is only through the generous support of organizations like Dreambuilders and UnitedHealthcare that we can provide backpacks of food to children so they can have food they need during those times when free or reduced-priced school lunches are not available," said Brooke Wiseman, CEO, Blessings in a Backpack. UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) company, serves nearly 4 million residents across New York with a care provider network of more than 200 hospitals and 60,000 physicians and other health providers statewide. "Hunger knows no age, no day, and no season, and that is why feeding our children and giving them a good start at life is so important. There is no denying that for some of New York's school children, their best meals are those they eat in school. I am proud to join with Blessings in a Backpack, UnitedHealthcare and New York Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie's Dreambuilders in helping to fight hunger in our City," said New York Senator Marty Golden. "I thank our sponsors on behalf of the 250 children who will now be served a well-balanced and nutritious meal on the weekends, including in my district at Public School 102." "Proper nutrition is essential not only in keeping children attentive in the classroom, but in getting them through the day. I'm so thankful to Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and his Dreambuilders program, as well as UnitedHealthcare, for making today's event a reality," said New York Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, Assembly District 64.
About the Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Dreambuilders Program
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