How Our New Building Healthy Communities Partnership Aligns With Governor Snyder’s Call for Collaboration
Blues Perspectives
| 2 min read
Gov. Rick Snyder recently said that “health is the foundation for Michigan's economic transformation,” and in alignment with his broader plea to improve residents' health and combat obesity, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has announced a partnership with Wayne State University and the Michigan Fitness Foundation to expand its Building Healthy Communities school grant program. The three organizations collectively will bring a additional expertise and resources to the Building Healthy Communities program, which provides grants for things like physical activity and school nutrition programs. We've all heard plenty about the obesity crisis in our country. It affects everyone in some way. You may be personally struggling with a high BMI or bearing the financial burden of higher health care costs for an unhealthy employee population. Regardless, obesity is taking its toll on all of us. The health of Michigan residents and their communities directly impacts the state’s ability to compete on a national and international scale. In his speech outlining the state's health care plans, Snyder encouraged schools to “facilitate participation in physical activity and health education throughout all grade levels.” He also asked schools to improve their nutrition standards, encouraged organizations to work together to move the needle on obesity and challenged all Michiganders to adopt adopt healthier lifestyles. Blue Cross has provided funding to 63 schools across the state since 2009 under the program, reaching more than 24,000 Michigan students. The expanded Building Healthy Communities program will continue to address childhood obesity with physical activity and healthy eating with the added resources and opportunities from Wayne State's Center for School Health and the Michigan Fitness Foundation. Check out a video on our new partnership below. Do your schools educate students on health and nutrition? If so, how do they communicate the importance of a healthy lifestyle and model healthy behaviors? [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa1Z8N0AbVA&w=560&h=315]
