The PHIT America GO! Grants program is becoming a popular story for the media to tell in communities whose local elementary schools are receiving a much-needed injection of funds into their P.E. programs. In 2017, P.E. programs at four schools in the greater Baltimore/Washington, D.C.-area received a PHIT America GO! Grant from Under Armour; 11 elementary schools in Chicago received a PHIT America GO! Grant from Life Fitness; and one elementary school in Austin, Texas received a PHIT America GO! Grant from ASICS.
This local activation event in March 2017 in Baltimore/Washington, D.C. generated local news coverage — from WTOP-AM (two radio broadcast stories and one digital story) and WRC-TV – an NBC owned-and-
The local activation in May 2017 in Chicago was documented with a video produced by Life Fitness which showcased its GO! Grant support for P.E. in 11 Chicagoland elementary schools, one of which (Belmont-Cragin Elementary School) was showcased in this video.
The local activation event in late November/early December in Austin, Texas generated media coverage from the local Fox affiliate in Austin – KTBC-TV’s “Good Day Austin” – and from the morning show of the NBC affiliate in Austin — KXAN-TV. That second interview can be accessed here. The GO! Grant support in Austin also generated some media coverage within the sporting goods industry by SGB Update. The TV interviews in Austin were to recognize a Girls on the Run program at a local elementary school. Those interviews took place during the same week that The Running Event was held in Austin.
“National research reveals American children have become more and more sedentary which has both a negative effect on children’s health and their academic performance,” says Jim Baugh, Founder, PHIT America. “That’s why these PHIT America GO! Grants are so important. They help stimulate physical activity for children.”
GO! Grants are awarded to school P.E. programs by national charity, PHIT America, with the support of KIDS in the GAME. In the past two years, more than 375 PHIT America GO! Grants have been awarded nationally to school P.E. programs – helping nearly 200,000 school children get active. PHIT America GO! Grants help schools that are in desperate need of gear, programming or training for physical activity programs.
There is a huge need for these PHIT America GO! Grants, as 48% of all high schools have no physical education programs. And, many school districts have even cut recess. With the average budget for physical education programs throughout the U.S. at only $762 per year for an entire school, it is estimated more than 40,000 schools throughout the U.S. are in need of help.
GO! Grants range in size from $1,000 to $5,000 per school. In every PHIT America GO! Grant application, schools indicate the need of their students to develop their motor skills, reduce obesity, and increase physical literacy and fitness.
“Physical inactivity is a national crisis. Sitting has become the new smoking,” added Baugh. “This investment is critical to the future of our kids and to America.”
Founded in January 2013, PHIT America is a non-profit campaign focused on overcoming the severe ramifications of the ‘Inactivity Pandemic’ through three strategic approaches – education, supporting school-based activity programs, and advocating – which will get Americans, especially our youth, more active, fit and healthy. For more information about PHIT America, visit www.PHITAmerica.org.
