United Way of Long Island is the recipient of a $25,000 grant from Nature’s Bounty Foundation, supporting the Healthy Kids – Healthy Families Initiative. This program teaches pre-school and school-age students and their families fundamental nutritional, health and cooking skills over the course of the year.
With a goal of reaching 3,000 children from low-income families, Healthy Kids – Healthy Families works with United Way partner agencies YMCA of Long Island and Pronto of Long Island to develop outreach programs that bridge the gap between eating nutritious foods and leading a healthy lifestyle. These outreach programs include:
- Nutritional classes for students and families to learn together;
- A Healthy Kids – Healthy Families activity and coloring book with fun and interactive activities and pictures aimed at children aged 3-8;
- ‘Eating a Rainbow Workshops’ that include healthy cooking activities, such as making a salad;
- Easy-to-reference informational materials and
- An e-newsletter with recipes and educational activity suggestions for families to do as a group.
“When a family is financially struggling, eating healthy foods may no longer be a priority,” said Theresa A. Regnante, President and CEO of United Way of Long Island. “This generous grant from Nature’s Bounty Foundation allows us to teach children and caregivers how easy it is to prepare nutritious meals, improving their well-being overall.”
“Nature’s Bounty Foundation is proud to support Healthy Kids – Healthy Families, helping thousands of Long Islanders discover the importance and enjoyment of eating well-balanced meals,” added Nature's Bounty's Director of Corporate Social Responsibility Beverly Lee-Wo.
The grant also funds the maintenance of the Nature’s Bounty Foundation Garden, located at United Way’s headquarters in Deer Park. This garden’s planting boxes were built by United Way’s YouthBuild Long Island students, who also cultivate, plant, weed and pick vegetables and herbs grown there. This garden not only teaches the students how to live a healthy lifestyle, but also helps them learn responsibility.
To learn more about United Way’s Health initiatives, visit www.unitedwayli.org/health.
Photo caption: Standing in the Nature's Bounty Foundation Garden located at United Way, Nature's Bounty's Director of Corporate Social Responsibility Beverly Lee-Wo presents $25,000 to United Way's Chief Development Officer Nina Fenton for the Healthy Kids - Healthy Families Initiative. They are joined by YouthBuild Long Island student Jasmine who helped to plant, cultivate and maintain the garden.