UnitedHealthcare is expanding its successful partnership with 4-H to
help combat hunger and food insecurity by promoting budgeting and
nutrition education in underserved communities, nearly doubling its
annual commitment to $1 million to support the 4-H Food Smart Families
program.
Andres Parra (third from R) of Tucson, Ariz., was one of eight 4-H youth leaders who met with President Obama in the Oval Office today to discuss youth-led efforts to tackle food insecurity, among other topics. Andres shared his involvement in 4-H Healthy Living initiatives supported by UnitedHealthcare, which has invested nearly than $3 million to support 4-H programs, reaching 200,000 young people and families through positive messages to combat obesity and promote healthy living. The company announced the expansion of its 4-H partnership with a $1 million grant to support the 4-H Food Smart Families initiative. L to R: Geneva Wright, Alaska; Kashawn Burke, Georgia; Gabrielle Parker, Maryland; Kimberly Lopez, Idaho; Jacob Jensen, Utah; Andres Parra, Arizona; Spencer Orr, Iowa; and Lorena Rivera, Idaho in front of the White House (Photo: Bob Nichols/USDA).
The 4-H Food Smart Families program was highlighted this week at
the annual National 4-H Conference in Washington, DC and during a
meeting with President Obama at the White House where 4-H youth leaders
discussed youth-led efforts to tackle food insecurity, among other
topics.
4-H Food Smart Families will help families make healthy living a
greater part of their everyday lives beginning with budgeting and the
grocery shopping experience, to meal planning and preparation. The
program will engage 4-H teen leaders to serve as youth ambassadors and
mentors to teach their peers, families and the local community about how
to prepare healthy meals on a budget. Youth ambassadors will teach
healthy living programs and lead community-wide events such as cooking
workshops and community dinners based on what they've learned.
Working together with National 4-H Council and its grantee 4-H programs
in Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York,
Tennessee, and Wisconsin, the program will provide 4-Hers skills and
resources to promote healthy choices to families in the communities that
need it most. The grant will also support Farm to Fork initiatives in
Iowa and Georgia.
“4-H is so pleased to have UnitedHealthcare support the 4-H Food
Smart Families program and expand its strong commitment to help
tackle hunger and food security, in underserved communities, by
promoting the idea that you can eat healthy on a budget,” said Jennifer
Sirangelo, president & CEO, National 4-H Council. “Having 4-H youth lead
these efforts through educational experiences and community events will
impact those at the greatest risk of facing food insecurity issues.”
This year, the 4-H Food Smart Families is expected to reach over
50,000 individuals, including 13,000 kids and 36,000 of their family
members that are eligible for or receiving SNAP (food stamps) benefits
in communities. Goals include educating youth to eat more vegetables and
fruit, drink more water, choose healthier snacks, eat breakfast, teach
their families how to buy and prepare healthier affordable foods on a
budget, and practice food safety principles for food preparation and
preservation.
Andres Parra, 4-H Youth Ambassador with the University of Arizona
Extension Program was in the meeting with the President and shared his
involvement in the 4-H and UnitedHealthcare initiatives, “It’s an honor
to be invited to meet President Obama and discuss the positive impact
4-H programs are having in our communities. Thousands of 4-H youth have
participated in healthy living programs supported by UnitedHealthcare
that are making a difference in reaching youth about these important
issues.”
Since 2011, UnitedHealthcare has provided nearly $3 million to support
4-H programs in 13 states including its Eat4-Health program, which has
reached 200,000 young people and families through a positive campaign
that trained thousands of 4-H teen youth health ambassadors to promote
healthy lifestyles in their communities.
“UnitedHealthcare is proud to have been a strong supporter of 4-H for
the past five years and see first-hand the positive impact its programs
are having in communities across this country,” said Austin Pittman,
CEO, UnitedHealthcare Community & State, who serves as a trustee on the
National 4-H Council Board of Directors. “Working together we are
helping create unique, engaging programs that give our young people
important tools to help families in their communities make healthy
decisions and live healthier lives.”
The 4-H Food Smart Families program will help to create more food
secure homes by empowering families to make healthy lifestyle decisions
beginning at the point of their grocery shopping experience and
continuing to meal preparation in their kitchens. To learn more visit www.4-h.org/4hfoodsmartfamilies.
Recent studies
from USDA show that 17.5 million households across the country are
food insecure, resulting in 49.1 million Americans suffering from
hunger. Of those 49.1 million hungry Americans, more than 15.8 million
are children. Studies show that school-age children who experience
severe hunger are at increased risk for homelessness, obesity, chronic
health conditions, stressful life conditions, psychiatric distress,
behavioral problems, depression, anxiety, withdrawal and poor
self-esteem.
According to America’s Health Rankings®, an annual comprehensive
assessment of the nation’s health on a state-by-state basis, obesity, a
leading risk factor for diabetes, heart disease and many cancers,
continues to be one of the fastest-growing health challenges confronting
the nation. In 2014, 15.7% of high school students and nearly 30% of
adults were considered obese. In addition, 19.9% of U.S. Children live
in households at or below the poverty threshold. Six of the eight states
participating in the Food Smart Families program are ranked in
the bottom 25 in the report, which can be viewed and downloaded at www.americashealthrankings.org.
About 4-H
4-H, the nation’s largest youth development and empowerment
organization, cultivates confident kids who tackle the issues that
matter most in their communities right now. In the United States, 4-H
programs empower six million young people through the 109 land-grant
universities and Cooperative Extension in more than 3,000 local offices
serving every county and parish in the country. Outside the United
States, independent, country-led 4-H organizations empower one million
young people in more than 50 countries. National 4-H Council is the
private sector, non-profit partner of the Cooperative Extension System
and 4-H National Headquarters located at the National Institute of Food
and Agriculture (NIFA) within the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live
healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting
consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships
with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health
benefit programs for individuals, employers, military service members,
retirees and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries,
and contracts directly with more than 850,000 physicians and care
professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide.
Globally, UnitedHealthcare serves 45 million people in health benefits
and is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH), a
diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For more
information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com
or follow @myUHC on Twitter.
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