Mongoose and Dicks Sporting Goods have joined forces in an effort effort to change childrens attitudes and eating habits. The Good Food for Great Kids Program has begun in all 54 Buffalo, NY public elementary schools. The program will reach 31,000 children pre-K through 8th grade in a six-week interactive program supporting good nutrition.
As part of the program, children will be rewarded for eating fruits and vegetables. During each week of the six-week program, one student from each of the 54 schools who reaches a pre-specified goal will be awarded with a prize.
Mongoose Bicycles has partnered with Dick’s to donate 54 bikes to as many winners as a “Finale” sixth-week prize. Dick’s is also providing Dick’s Bonus Certificates for each winner during the first five weeks of the program.
The Be a Power Eater: The Good Food for Great Kids Program uses incentives, friendly competition, curriculum enhancement, and creative messaging in three languages (English, Spanish, and Arabic) to inspire children in grades pre-kindergarten through eighth to eat healthier.
The project has introduced an enhanced fruit and vegetable selection at school lunch lines in all of Buffalos 54 elementary schools. If a child chooses two or more fruits or vegetables for lunch, he or she will receive a small reward. Students who choose fruits or vegetables throughout the week will be entered to win bigger prizes such as bikes or sports equipment.
“This program is an example of how a community can really come together around a critical issue,” said Gretchen Fierle, executive director of Pursuing Perfection (P2) Collaborative of Western New York. “The scope of this collaboration has been monumental.” Over 30 community organizations have contributed nearly $1 million in funding and in-kind services and donations towards the project.
The goal is to identify the best approach to reverse trends toward poor nutrition and the incidence of overweight or obese children. This program has received a great deal of press coverage, including the CBS News Early Show, the NBC Today Show and the L.A. Times.
The number of overweight children in the United States has nearly tripled in the past two decades according to the Surgeon Generals Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity. The growing trend toward childhood obesity has amplified the need for a proactive approach to improving the nutritional choices made by Buffalos children. The Be a Power Eater Program is in line with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans to be released by the US Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. This year the federal report, which is updated every five years, is expected to place a higher emphasis on fruits and vegetables.
The Be a Power Eater Program was designed by P2, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the health of Western New Yorkers, and an array of community partners. P2 is headed by a strong board of directors represented by all three major local managed care organizations and education, business, industry, faith, and media leaders.
