News: $44 Million initiative supports comprehensive solutions to childhood obesity

Exergaming is changing lives and having a positive effect on the engagement of youngsters in to extra physical activity. These great benefits are slowly being realised across the world, with the help of initiatives from bodies such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the trend can continue. Here is the latest funding news from RWJF.

As the first investment of a new $44 million initiative, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has awarded grants of up to $400,000 to nine communities across the country that will serve as leading sites for its most ambitious effort yet to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities will support local action to increase opportunities for physical activity and access to healthy, affordable foods for children and families. The goal is to catalyze policy and environmental changes that can make a lasting difference and be replicated across the country.

The program is a major part of RWJF’s five-year, $500 million commitment to reverse the epidemic in the United States by 2015. The Foundation is also focused on building the evidence about what works to prevent childhood obesity and on supporting advocacy to educate policy-makers and leaders at all levels about the best solutions.

We see exergaming playing a big part in delivering RWJF's objectives. To find out more, read more here, and check back for news on the exergaming projects that will be funded.

News: $10,000 Contest to improve middle school physical education

In its first year, Keep Gym in School is funding refurbishments for Physical Education programs at select schools, hosting NFL minicamps to get kids active and assess their fitness levels. NFL teams supporting Keep Gym in School in its first year are the Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals.

Keep Gym in School has chosen schools in-need for adoption to help deliver quality physical education opportunities to all students. Keep Gym in School will refurbish facilities; provide funding for physical education instructors and supply equipment, as needed.
Each adopted school will engage in an "In-School Fitness Challenge" to assess student fitness, motivate students to stay active and allow physical education teachers to monitor student progress throughout the year. The challenges will be kicked off with "minicamp" events that will be run by the participating NFL players.

To expand the program nationally, Keep Gym in School will provide one additional school with a $10,000 grant to improve its physical education program. NFL Network will offer an online adoption contest open to any middle school nationwide. Students, parents, teachers and other community members can nominate their school for the grant online at the website.

Keep checking http://www.keepgyminschool.com/ for updates to the contest.