Centene Foundation for Quality Healthcare Awards Grant to Youth InterACTIVE in Texas
August 03 2007 - 11:24AM
PR Newswire (US)
- Obesity Program To Target At Risk Children - ST. LOUIS, Aug. 3
/PRNewswire/ -- The Centene Foundation for Quality Healthcare
announced today that it has awarded a $33,000 grant to Youth
InterACTIVE to support its ACTIVE Life initiative. The ACTIVE Life
initiative is designed to educate and empower Texas youth and their
families to effectively manage their physical activity, nutritional
intake and fitness. Youth InterACTIVE is a non-profit, youth social
marketing organization based in Austin, TX. The ACTIVE Life
initiative delivers fun-filled health and fitness programs, events
and media to youth on school campuses and community centers. The
initiative is designed to instill an appreciation for healthy,
active living while increasing fitness and health and combating
obesity and diabetes. Participating students are empowered to take
control of their own health by setting personal goals and recording
their activities. Students are likewise encouraged to become
healthy change agents in their families by promoting the ACTIVE
Life lifestyle to their parents and siblings. "Childhood obesity is
a serious national issue with many accompanying health and social
consequences," said Kathy Bradley-Wells, President, Centene
Foundation for Quality Healthcare. "Prevention programs for
children, such as those provided by Youth InterACTIVE, are an
important part of controlling the obesity epidemic by encouraging
physical activity and good nutrition. With millions of children or
adolescents at risk, the Centene Foundation for Quality Healthcare
is pleased to support this key initiative to address childhood
obesity." "Youth InterACTIVE is very excited about the opportunity
to continue our important work in Texas with the Centene Foundation
for Quality Healthcare," said Baker Harrell, Founder/Executive
Director, Youth InterACTIVE. "Through the support of committed
organizations like the Centene Foundation, Youth InterACTIVE will
provide our award-winning ACTIVE Life initiative free of charge to
more than 30,000 Texas students and families this school year.
Nearly one-third of America's youth are overweight or obese and the
trend continues to exponentially worsen. This modern generation is
the 1st in 100 years to have a lower projected life expectancy than
their parents. Combating the youth obesity epidemic must become a
central priority for America's corporations and government if
America is to remain a global leader. I applaud Centene and the
Centene Foundation for Quality Healthcare for serving as corporate
stewards in this critical fight." About Youth InterACTIVE Youth
InterACTIVE is a non-profit, youth social marketing organization
based in Austin, TX, that inspires and empowers youth to drive
positive trends in health, education and civic participation. Youth
InterACTIVE works with national leaders and institutions to develop
and manage cost-effective, scalable and sustainable solutions which
utilize new media, existing infrastructure and the untapped power
of youth as agents of positive social change. Youth InterACTIVE
believes an ACTIVE lifestyle is one that values health and fitness,
lifelong learning and civic participation. Youth InterACTIVE works
to inspire and empower youth to adopt and promote ACTIVE living to
their peers, families, and communities. For additional information,
please visit http://www.youthinteractive.org/. About The Centene
Foundation for Quality Healthcare The Centene Foundation for
Quality Healthcare is a non-profit private foundation dedicated to
improving the quality of healthcare in the United States. The
Foundation serves as a resource to identify and support innovative
approaches to improving and increasing the quality of and access to
healthcare for low-income individuals and families. This is
accomplished through an inspired philanthropic giving plan that
seeks to promote efforts and activities that identify and address
core causes of unequal access and treatment in healthcare. For
additional information, please visit
http://www.centenefoundation.org/. DATASOURCE: The Centene
Foundation for Quality Healthcare CONTACT: Robert J. Schenk, Vice
President, Corporate Marketing and Communications of Centene
Corporation, +1-314-725-4477 Web site:
http://www.centenefoundation.org/ http://www.youthinteractive.org/
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