Alliance for a Healthier Generation and NYC Department of Education Launch Partnership to Improve Wellness in City Schools

(NEW YORK, N.Y.) Feb.13, 2018 – The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, one of the nation’s leading children’s health nonprofits, and the New York City Department of Education today announced a new, strengthened partnership to create healthier school environments for more than a million students across all five boroughs in the nation’s largest school district.

The partnership will help deepen and expand opportunities for New York City schools to create healthier learning environments where all students can thrive by providing access to expanded resources and professional learning for all schools. This new, enhanced partnership builds upon the NYC Department of Education’s long-time commitment to fostering School Wellness Councils, and recent initiatives that seek to revitalize physical education and make it a foundational component of city schools.

As part of this new partnership, NYC public schools can apply for $1,000 Target gift card grants that can be used to create healthy school environments that improve nutrition, increase physical activity and promote wellness policies and education for students and families in their communities.

“The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is a valued partner in providing our students the skills and knowledge they need to lead healthy, active lives,” said Lindsey Harr, executive director of the NYC Department of Education’s Office of School Wellness Programs. “This additional funding opportunity will help inspire school communities to elevate wellness plans and programs that create healthy learning environments that last.”

“Every student needs high-quality physical education to stay healthy and remain focused during the school day, and we are committed to providing students with PE space, strengthening physical education curriculum and hiring more teachers. Through these initiatives, we can ensure that all of our students have the foundation they need to lead healthy and active lifestyles throughout their lives,” said Deputy Chancellor Elizabeth Rose.

“Academic success and student health go hand in hand,” said Dr. Howell Wechsler, chief executive officer of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. “This partnership merges Healthier Generation’s national school health expertise with the Department of Education’s longstanding commitment to providing optimal learning environments for more than one million kids across the city. The impact of this powerful collaboration will be felt for many years to come.”

The first year of the partnership will focus on the distribution of $100,000 in Target gift cards to city schools to support existing and new wellness efforts in three key areas:

• Increasing parent and student engagement
• Supporting the development of school wellness councils
• Achieving national recognition through Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program, the nation’s largest school-based childhood obesity prevention initiative

Schools can learn more about and apply for the $1,000 grants by completing an online application by February 28, 2018. Questions can be directed to the Office of School Wellness Programs at [email protected].

The $100,000 Target donation is a result of Healthier Generation’s extensive work in communities nationwide to create sustainable healthy school environments that improve nutrition, increase physical activity and provide wellness policies and education for students and families.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program is a national initiative that guides schools to create and sustain healthy environments. Any U.S. school or individual can enroll in the Healthy Schools Program to access support networks, trainings and resources at no cost by visiting schools.healthiergeneration.org.

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About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation empowers kids to develop lifelong healthy habits, by ensuring the environments that surround them provide and promote good health. More than 25 million children have been helped by the Alliance’s work with schools, communities and businesses across the country. Make a difference at HealthierGeneration.org and join us on Facebook and Twitter.