July 15, 2008
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation Renews Healthy Habits for Life Grant Program for Third Year
School nurses interested in creating programs to help Kansas kids reduce their cardiovascular risk, increase their physical activity or learn healthy eating habits are invited to apply for Healthy Habits for Life grants from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation. The foundation's board of directors has renewed the Healthy Habits for Life grant program for a third year, committing $36,000 to fund programs for the 2008-2009 academic year. The postmark deadline for applications is Sept. 15.
During its first two years, the foundation approved 73 grant requests totaling more than $68,000, according to Graham Bailey, chief operating officer of the BCBSKS Foundation.
"What struck me most about the programs the foundation funded the past two years is that the simplest of programs can still have a big impact on many Kansas children," Bailey said.
"Some nurses created programs to get children to spend more time walking before, during or after school, while others incorporated lessons on healthy eating habits or understanding the risks of cardiovascular disease into existing health, nutrition and physical education classes," he said. "Others took on bigger projects, such as health fairs, which also had a positive impact on parents, siblings and community members."
The grant application process is relatively simple, too, and the collective impact of the programs has been impressive, Bailey said. "Literally thousands of school-aged children have directly benefited from these Healthy Habits for Life-funded programs," he said. "We know that when children learn healthy habits at a young age, they carry those habits into adulthood, which is great news for creating a healthier Kansas in years to come."
The renewal of the grant program was announced today in Wichita during the 19th Annual Statewide Conference of the Kansas School Nurse Organization (KSNO). Representatives from KSNO will assist in the grant selection process.
The maximum grant amount is $1,000 with no more than one public school within a school district earning a grant. The program is available in the service area of the BCBSKS Foundation which includes all Kansas counties except Johnson and Wyandotte.
Applications must be postmarked no later than Sept. 15 with the funds distributed by Oct. 31. Grant recipients can use the funds for programs offered during the 2008-2009 academic year.
For more information, visit the Healthy Habits for Life section or call Marlou Wegener, BCBSKS Foundation grant coordinator, at 1-800-432-0216, ext. 7246, or, in Topeka, 291-7246.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BCBSKS is the state's largest health insurer, serving all Kansas counties except Johnson and Wyandotte.
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