Trends

A long standing fundamental of our country is to keep our children safe and healthy. For the children of low income households the uncertainty of personal safety after school, and the insufficient exposure to physical activity and nutritional education have contributed to a national crisis.

In evidence:

• Fewer than 10 percent of elementary schools surveyed provided physical education or an equivalent, and fewer than half the schools offered any after school physical activities for students;
  
  
• Insufficient or no opportunity in early childhood to be part of an after school program puts over 14 million school children at-risk every day;
  
  
• 61.5 percent of children do not participate in an organized activities outside of school hours, and 22.6 percent do not engage in any type of physical activity during free time;
  
  
• 98 percent of children have access to television and media devices with a daily media exposure equivalent to 9 hours...interfering with physical health, healthy eating habits and sleep disorder and are less likely to participate in after school programs.
  
  

Our Response

The gaps in physical fitness and nutritional education are clear and wide, and our Foundation's responsibility and goal is to bridge these gaps with the support and commitment from our schools, sponsors, grantors, parents and volunteers.