For a 13th year, school personnel – including school nurses, teachers and administrators – will use Healthy Habits for Life grant dollars to fund at-school programs aimed at helping thousands of children reduce their cardiovascular risk, increase their physical activity or learn healthy eating habits. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation recently distributed a total of $149,757.30 through 155 grants to school personnel spread across 62 Kansas counties.
"The school nurses, teachers and administrators receiving grants will use the funding for programs in 2019 that will continue our focus on lowering the incidence of childhood obesity in Kansas," said Marlou Wegener, chief operating officer of the BCBSKS Foundation. "The Foundation's board recognizes that school is where our children spend the majority of their day, making at-school programs essential in helping our children learn the life-long habits that will help them grow into healthy adults with bright futures.
"I applaud the efforts of these dedicated professionals and grantees to develop creative programs that will engage their students to take more active roles in their health and well-being," Wegener said. "We could not slow the childhood obesity epidemic in Kansas without their collective efforts."
The BCBSKS Foundation has now distributed 1,546 Healthy Habits for Life grants totaling $1,466,098.86 during 13 giving cycles. The most recent grants will be used during 2019 for a variety of programs ranging from purchasing heart monitors, healthy snacks or nutrition curriculum, to organizing health fairs and walking programs.
The amount of each grant was based on the applicant’s request for the program he or she proposed, up to a maximum of $1,000. The school district or private school must be located in the service area of the BCBSKS Foundation (all Kansas counties except Johnson and Wyandotte).
About the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation promotes the good health of Kansans who live in the Foundation’s 103-county service area. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, the largest health insurer in the state, incorporated the Foundation in 2005 as a way to further deepen its commitment to helping all Kansans lead healthier lives, an effort which both entities believe is an essential factor in keeping health care affordable. Through its giving, the Foundation focuses on key health issues that can impact the lives of many Kansans. It funds programs and activities that are, at their core, health-related; specifically, ones that promote health improvement, community health access and/or education, healthy behaviors, prevention initiatives and direct health services to the uninsured. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Both entities serve all Kansas counties except Johnson and Wyandotte. For more information on the Foundation, visit bcbsks.com/foundation.