SANTA CLARA, Calif. – For the second consecutive year, the San Francisco 49ers and the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) are supporting students in the Santa Clara and South Bay area with a $10,000 Hometown Grant to expand nutrition and physical fitness activities. The 2015 recipient of the Hometown Grant is the Campbell Union School District. Forty-niner players, cheerleaders and California dairy industry representatives celebrated the achievement with 100 students at Monroe Middle School on December 7.
“The San Francisco 49ers are proud to support the Campbell Union School District and partner with California’s dairy families to encourage students to learn best practices for nutrition and exercise,” said 49ers COO Al Guido. “The benefits of a healthy lifestyle support all age groups, however it’s imperative our younger generations understand the importance of overall health. We’re proud to support our local community through these efforts.”
Developed by Fuel Up to Play 60 and the NFL, with support from the dairy industry, the Hometown Grant program provides deserving schools in local areas with funding to help meet health and wellness goals. In alignment with the Play 60 initiative, the San Francisco 49ers Youth Football Department has impacted more than 17,000 Bay Area youth in 2014 alone.
“This program has numerous benefits for our student body, which is why we are so proud to be involved,” said Dawnel Sonntag, Principal of Monroe Middle School. “It is an incredible way for our students and community to learn the best ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle.”
“The opportunity for California dairy families and the San Francisco 49ers to support the Campbell Union School District empowers the students in the community to learn best practices for a healthy lifestyle,” said Jennifer Giambroni, Director of Communications for the CMAB, representing California’s more than 1,400 dairy families. “Research tells us that having a strong nutritional foundation and ample opportunity for physical activity supports academic performance. We want to provide California students every opportunity to learn how to live a healthy lifestyle.”
Earlier this fall, the CMAB – in conjunction with the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders – awarded Hometown Grants to the Chula Vista Unified School District and San Leandro School District. In total, $320,000 in Hometown Grant funding was provided to schools throughout the U.S. to further wellness goals.
Fuel Up to Play 60 is the nation’s largest in-school wellness program creating real transformational change in more than 73,000 schools nationwide. In total, 13 million students nationwide are eating healthier, 16 million students are being more active and 115 thousand adults are enrolled and empowering youth to lead with one national program.
About the San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers, owned by Denise and John York, currently play in the NFC West division and have won five Super Bowl trophies including Super Bowl XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV and XXIX. The franchise also has six conference championships and 19 divisional championships and was the first major league professional sports team to be based in San Francisco over 60 years ago. Please visit www.49ers.com and follow the 49ers on Facebook and Twitter @49ers.
About Fuel Up to Play 60
Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by National Football League (NFL) and National Dairy Council (NDC), which was founded by America’s dairy farmers, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The program encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. As a result of the program, last year 14 million students made better food choices by selecting nutritious options like low-fat and fat-free dairy products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Additionally, 14 million students are getting more physically active during the school day.
Fuel Up to Play 60 is designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own health by implementing long-term, positive changes for themselves and their schools. Customizable and non-prescriptive program components are grounded in research with youth, including tools and resources, in-school promotional materials, a website and student contests. Fuel Up to Play 60 is further supported by several health and nutrition organizations: Action for Healthy Kids, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Association/Foundation, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association. Visit FuelUpToPlay60.com to learn more.