The New Balance Foundation made a $100,000 grant to the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center. The grant will help expand the centers existing Lets Get Movin Program, which encourages exercise, good nutrition, and healthy life choices for children, adolescents, and families. The funding will also enable the center to begin a new effort, called Babies Get Movin, to educate parents of infants on obesity prevention.
Were honored to receive such a substantial gift from our generous donors, so that we can continue to not only offer, but expand great programs like Lets Get Movin, Manny Lopes, CEO of the health center, said in a statement.
This program is critical in helping children, teens, and their families maintain a healthy lifestyle to prevent obesity, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses, Lopes said. Thanks to the support of our donors, we can further promote wellness by educating parents with newborns.
The Lets Get Movin Program includes community events, cooking classes, field trips, and seminars to teach adults more about how they can help their children make healthy choices. It is offered during the school year, with summer programs available in July and August.
Through the grant, the health center will also work with the New Balance Foundations Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Childrens Hospital, where pediatricians and health-care providers from the health center can share ideas and strategies with other specialists.
The New Balance Foundation shares the mission of the health centers Lets Get Movin Program, and we are thrilled to be partnering with them to make an impact on families in East Boston, and the surrounding area, Anne Davis, managing trustee of the foundation, said in the statement.
