BCBSRI awards grants to childhood obesity-prevention program, Beat the Streets Providence

PROVIDENCE – Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island has awarded two of its six 2016 BlueAngel Community Health Grants to South County Food, Fitness and Fun and Beat the Streets Providence.
Beat the Streets Providence garnered $30,000 to launch the inaugural “Blue Cross & Blue Shield Healthy Champions” program, using wrestling as a foundation for teaching healthy habits and providing emotional support to middle school students in underserved neighborhoods.
SCFFF, operated through the University of Rhode Island, was awarded $6,000 to enhance its successful intervention program for overweight and obese children between the ages of 6-10 years old. A 16-week program, SCFFF engages the children and their parents in hands-on lessons and discussions about nutrition and fitness in a fun and friendly environment. The families work closely with pediatricians, dietitians and fitness specialists to learn how to eat healthy and become physically active.
“Blue Cross recognizes that the health of our state is largely dependent on the health of our children, and believes that all children should have the opportunity to grow up healthy, happy and safe,” said Carolyn Belisle, managing director of community relations at BCBSRI. “Our BlueAngel Community Health Grant program provides us a vehicle to continue to have a meaningful impact on our community and we look forward to partnering with SCFFF to further this work.”
Through wrestling, Beat the Streets Providence provides at-risk youth with lessons on the mat, support in the classroom and strong mentors to guide them toward long term success.
The new “Blue Cross & Blue Shield Health Champions” program will offer weeknight and weekend fitness training for 100 young people at the Davey Lopes Recreation Center. The program will also offer nutrition and wellness education, hands-on activities and field trips to support students in all facets of healthy living.
“We are honored to support organizations like Beat the Streets Providence that are developing creative and successful models for engaging youth in their own health,” Belisle added.
The BlueAngel program awards local organizations that teach and support healthy habits, from better nutrition to increased physical activity. BCBSRI accepts and reviews proposals for the program once a year. Grant award winners were notified in December 2015 with funding beginning in January 2016.
The grants are made possible by the BCBSRI Community Health Fund, a corporate donor-advised fund of The Rhode Island Foundation.
For more information, visit www.bcbsri.com.

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