Action for Healthy Kids® and Cargill Help 70 Schools Create Healthy Learning Environments in the 2018-2019 School Year

CHICAGO, Oct. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Action for Healthy Kids® (AFHK) announces 70 recipients of school grants provided through funding from Cargill for the 2018-2019 school year. Awarded in Iowa, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, the grants provide schools with funding and technical support using AFHK's Game On program to help expand student access to in-school physical activity and healthy foods, improve knowledge and behaviors around exercise and nutrition, and engage parents in activities that reinforce healthy habits at home.

Through the grants, AFHK helps schools develop school health teams which are critical to creating healthy schools, assess their school health environment, and successfully implement nutrition and physical activity initiatives. Ranging from $500 to help returning grantees sustain their programs and $1,000 for new grantees, schools use grant funds to support:

• physical activity initiatives, such as funding for physical education, active indoor and outdoor recess, classroom energizers, walking and running clubs, and before- and after-school programs; and
• nutrition initiatives, such as nutrition education, school gardens, taste tests, and healthy classroom parties and celebrations that introduce students to the value of a healthy diet.

"Through our partnership with Cargill, we are helping more schools each year improve nutrition, physical activity and health-promoting policies and practices for the long term," said Rob Bisceglie, CEO, Action for Healthy Kids. "These much-needed resources help schools not only improve the health habits of their students but also help them demonstrate the link between physical activity, good nutrition and learning."

For a complete list of schools funded by Cargill in the 2018-2019 school year, visit ActionforHealthyKids.org/Cargill.

About Action for Healthy Kids®
Action for Healthy Kids® is a nationwide grassroots network mobilizing school professionals, families and communities to take actions that improve school foods, nutrition education and physical education for all students. With funding opportunities, expert technical assistance, and our flagship program, Game On, Action for Healthy Kids provides full support to schools and families to develop healthy school environments where children thrive. To learn more about the ways our 150,000+ volunteer network is helping to make every kid healthy and ready to learn, visit us at ActionforHealthyKids.org, on Facebook (act4healthykids) and on Twitter (@Act4HlthyKids).

About Cargill
Cargill's 155,000 employees across 70 countries work relentlessly to achieve our purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Every day, we connect farmers with markets, customers with ingredients, and people and animals with the food they need to thrive. We combine 153 years of experience with new technologies and insights to serve as a trusted partner for food, agriculture, financial and industrial customers in more than 125 countries. Side-by-side, we are building a stronger, sustainable future for agriculture.

SOURCE Action for Healthy Kids