November 8, 2006
Contact: Bev Pfeifer-Harms
314.345.5500 office

Healthy & Active Programs Receive $3.8 Million From Foundation

St. Louis -Through its Healthy & Active Communities Initiative, Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) has awarded more than $3.8 million in grants to 18 nonprofit organizations in the MFH service region. The Initiative supports Missourians by funding programs designed to address and prevent obesity and promote healthy and active lifestyles. The Initiative is in its second year of grantmaking, having funded 15 grants in 2005.

Initiative-funded programs target Missouri's populations most at risk of developing obesity, such as women and children, racial and ethnic groups, and low-income individuals or families.
Obesity is second only to tobacco as the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, resulting in more than 300,000 premature deaths nationwide each year. Studies show that obesity increases the risk of developing other health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, asthma and osteoarthritis. National expenditures for overweight and obesity-related conditions are more than $78.5 billion annually; in Missouri, expenditures top $1.6 billion each year.

The two-year Healthy & Active Communities grants fund a variety of programs for children and adults, in community centers ,workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods. "Already we are beginning to see the impact of our grantmaking," says Dr. James Kimmey, MFH's president and CEO. "In communities where we have funded programs, residents are enjoying increased access to healthy activities, including walking trails and exercise programs, as well as making more informed choices about their eating habits at home, in schools and at work."

The 18 new grantees in 2007 are:

American Heart Association, entire MFH region, $282,962. This grant funds implementation of the Healthy Schools program, a nationwide effort to encourage active living and healthy eating. In partnership with nine school districts, the program develops wellness policies and staff wellness programs, establishes a school wellness council and works to improve vending machine choices.

Butler County Health Department, Poplar Bluff, $298,640. This grant supports sports league memberships for children, worksite wellness programs for adults, school wellness education programs, and healthy behavior classes for preschools and WIC offices.

Citizens for Modern Transit, St. Louis, $297,189. This program's focus is on walking for recreation and transportation for older adults. Components include developing walking kits, maps, step programs and the consumption of healthy foods.

City Academy, St. Louis, $100,000. The "Fit For Life" program focuses on nutrition-related interactive classes and seminars at school, field trips and family- and staff-friendly physical activity classes.

Clearwater R-1 School District, Piedmont, $293,798. Funding supports the school district's "Tiger Fitness Challenge," which includes construction of a student fitness center, assessment of student fitness levels, and nutrition education.

Community Vision of St. Charles County, St. Charles, $55,497. In partnership with Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital, the "Walk & Roll" program focuses on increasing physical activity for adults primarily through worksite programs.

Feed My People, St. Louis, $280,733. The grant funds the food pantry's efforts to provide clients with better access to healthier food choices. The program includes nutrition education, hands-on cooking demonstrations, taste tests, physical activity education, organized walking clubs, as well as links to local grocers and farms to provide fresh foods to the pantry.

Herbert Hoover Boys Club of St. Louis, St. Louis, $180,740. The club is focusing youngsters on behaviors that promote healthy eating, increase physical activity and encourage personal goal setting. In collaboration with St. Louis Children's Hospital, the club also offers a weight management program.

Hopebuild, St. Louis, $32,400. This grant funds continuation of the Garden of Eden program, a collaborative effort with African-American churches and community partners to provide health advisors, nutrition education, exercise classes and the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Independence Center, St. Louis, $299,373. Funding enables the organization to offer obesity prevention activities and programs, train area mental health professionals about obesity prevention, and implement worksite policies to promote active lifestyles and healthy eating.

Jefferson County Health Department, Hillsboro, $297,228. The "Get Healthy and Active DeSoto" program is in collaboration with the DeSoto School District to implement school-based programs to improve eating habits and physical activity levels for 3rd graders and school district staff. The program also develops a county-wide physical activity and nutrition coalition.

Montgomery County R-II Schools, Montgomery City, $295,051. Through the "Improving Community Activity and Nutrition (ICAN)" program, the central Missouri school district is focusing on walking trails, after-school exercise and promotion of healthy eating.

New Madrid County Health Department, New Madrid, $259,759. Funding enables the health department to develop worksite, church-based and after-school wellness programs.

Old North St. Louis Restoration Group, St. Louis, $87,854. Funding supports the start-up of a farmers' market in north St. Louis that offers healthy food, along with free nutrition education, cooking demonstrations, health screenings, and bicycles to 60 local residents without transportation.

Pulaski County Health Department, Crocker, $174,116. For residents in south central Missouri, this grant funds school-based nutrition and physical activity programs, construction of walking trails, worksite wellness programs in the schools, and a community-wide awareness campaign for "Fired Up and Fit in Pulaski County."

St. Louis For Kids, St. Louis, $239,743. This grant funds a 16-week, after-school nutrition/fitness curriculum based on BJC's Fun-tastic Nutrition program.

Scotland County Health Department, Memphis, $175,629. Serving northeast Missouri, the "Heart Smart-Dollar Challenged" program is a partnership with Clark County Health Department to increase awareness of nutrition and healthy behaviors, develop physical activity challenges and education programs for families, and provide scholarships to fitness facilities.

Trailnet, St. Louis, $229,175. Funding supports the organization's "Active Living Policy Initiative", which is designed to develop and implement a toolkit for obesity-prevention policies. The project includes needs assessments in four communities and a report to the community.

Established in 2000 through the for-profit conversion of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri, MFH is the largest non-governmental funder of community health activities in the state. The Foundation is in its fourth year of grantmaking, issuing almost $180 million in grants and awards to date. It is dedicated to serving the uninsured and underserved in 84 Missouri counties and the City of St. Louis.

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