A coalition of Culpeper County nonprofits and government agencies has received a received a two-year, $32,000 childhood obesity prevention grant from the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth (VFHY). The grant will be managed by Culpeper Wellness Foundation and aims to increase youth access to existing recreational and physical activities in the county.
A Healthy Community Action Team (HCAT) will work together to carry out the grant activities and look for additional ways to get kids involved in physical activity. Team members include:
- Culpeper County
- Culpeper County Parks & Recreation
- Culpeper County Public Schools
- Culpeper Wellness Foundation
- Kid Central
- OPTIONS
- A youth representative
The grant will run from July 2018 to through June 2020. It is funded through VFHY’s childhood obesity prevention program, which supports the formation of community coalitions to prevent and reduce childhood obesity in Virginia by improving access to healthy foods and increasing opportunities for physical activity.
The Culpeper HCAT will have its first meeting in July. Funding will be used to provide free open gym time in collaboration with the schools, fitness programming for children enrolled at Kid Central and OPTIONS, and transportation or other assistance as needed to encourage youth participation in recreation and physical activities.
“Culpeper is a special community that really cares about its youth,” said Shari Landry, president of Culpeper Wellness Foundation. “The HCAT members didn’t think twice about pursuing this opportunity to work together and get more kids involved in recreation and physical activities. We are eager to get started!”
About the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth
Established by the Virginia General Assembly in 1999, the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth is responsible for statewide efforts to prevent and reduce youth tobacco use, childhood obesity and substance use. Since the Foundation began its work in 2001, youth smoking in Virginia has been cut more than 75 percent!
The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth directly reaches about 50,000 children each year through classroom-based prevention programs in public schools, after-school programs, community centers, daycares and other youth centers across the state. VFHY’s award-winning marketing campaign delivers prevention messages to more than 450,000 children annually through TV and radio ads and Internet content.
For more information about the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, please visit http://www.vfhy.org/.