Agencies to expand Healthy Living Program with grant from Walmart Foundation

The Walmart Foundation announced its continued support of 4-H Healthy Living programs with a new $2 million donation to expand the Walmart 4-H Youth Voice: Youth Choice program in Delaware and 20 other states. This new gift will allow the Walmart 4-H Youth Voice: Youth Choice program to expand its reach from 15 to 21 states across the nation, reaching nearly 75,000 at-risk youth and their families with interactive education about nutrition and food security challenges. The Walmart foundation has been a strong supporter of 4-H Healthy Living programs for several years, having granted $4.3 million to 4-H since 2009.

In Delaware this effort will directly impact 3,000 youth who will receive six hours of the Up for the Challenge: Lifetime Fitness, Healthy Decisions curriculum. The curriculum will be delivered by Cooperative Extension staff and a cadre of teens who will be trained in the curriculum and will deliver it in after-school programs, community centers, 4-H clubs and other sites. This model is already well established in Delaware to support Health Rocks.

The program will be implemented at all Delaware 4-H after-school sites including the seven Delaware State Housing Authority sites, all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education and Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program sites and Dover AFB sites. These sites alone reach 2,000 youth or more. Indirectly the program is expected to reach an additional 17,000 youth and families.

Delaware is recruiting youth ages 13 and up to facilitate the program with EFNEP staff members. This provides an opportunity for youth leadership and enhanced communication skills. There are funds available to stipend youth in this effort. A youth training is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Saturday, June 15, at the University of Delaware's Paradee Center in Dover.

For a copy of the registration form go to extension.udel.edu/kentcounty/im40/hla/.