FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Pepsico Fund Awards $3 Million Grant to YMCA of the USA
Project will address needs of African American and Hispanic Communities
CHICAGO, August 13, 2007—In a move to respond to the nation’s growing health crisis by helping local YMCAs better address the health and well-being needs of African American and Hispanic communities, the PepsiCo Corporate Charitable Contribution Fund has awarded a grant totaling $3 million to YMCA of the USA.
Announced today and to be awarded over three years, the grant will be used to establish Diversity Collaboratives involving more than 30 YMCAs as part of YMCA Activate America®, the YMCA’s bold approach to directly addressing our nation’s growing health crisis by transforming the way YMCAs work, both internally and externally, to support all those who seek well-being in spirit, mind and body.
“Research conclusively demonstrates the burden of obesity and related chronic disease is falling disproportionately on low-income and minority populations,” said Neil Nicoll, president and CEO of YMCA of the USA. “YMCAs serving African American and Hispanic communities already positively influence the health and well-being of the people who live there, but we know we must do even more. We are very grateful to the PepsiCo Corporate Charitable Contribution Fund for its continued support of YMCA Activate America, which will help us further impact these communities.”
The YMCA’s Diversity Collaboratives will employ a transformative learning process through which participating YMCAs will learn how to implement permanent changes in culture, policy and systems to better support those African American and Hispanic children, youth, adults and families whose successful pursuit of health and well-being requires continuous supportive relationships and environments. The short-term results of these collaboratives will include environments—both inside and outside the YMCA—that are more supportive of healthy eating and physical activity; improved relevancy and effectiveness of health and well-being programs; and an enhanced focus on relationships as an integral part of supporting people’s pursuit of health and well-being. The longer-term results of these collaboratives will be improved health outcomes for African American and Hispanic children, youth, adults and families.
“PepsiCo is deeply committed to reaching these targeted populations, and we look forward to working with the YMCA to support African American and Hispanic individuals who seek healthy lifestyles for themselves, their children and their families,” said Jacqueline R. Millan, director of corporate contributions for PepsiCo, Inc. “We believe our continued support of YMCA Activate America will have a real impact on guiding these individuals and families to overcome the obstacles they face to being more physically active and making healthier lifestyle choices.”
The transformative learning process that the Diversity Collaboratives will employ has been adapted from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Breakthrough Series. Thirty YMCAs, representing more than 100 branches and childcare sites, piloted the process over the past three years in examining how Ys serve the general population. The PepsiCo Corporate Charitable Contribution Fund was instrumental in providing funding for the pilot phase of this work.
During the initial phase of the Diversity Collaborative process, YMCA of the USA will establish a panel of individuals with expertise in addressing health needs of diverse communities to identify the gaps YMCAs must close to better support African American and Hispanic individuals and families in their efforts to adopt and sustain a healthy lifestyle.
The YMCA will continue to collaborate with the Harvard School of Public Health and Stanford University School of Medicine on this work, which served as expert partners to the Activate America effort.
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ABOUT THE PEPSICO FOUNDATION: Since 1960, the PepsiCo Foundation has invested in leading programs and critical causes that have strengthened communities. The PepsiCo Foundation focuses its grant making in the following areas: Health and Wellness, Diversity and Inclusion, Environment, Employee Engagement and Thought Leadership. The PepsiCo Foundation also provides assistance for humanitarian aid and recovery efforts following major disasters.
ABOUT YMCA ACTIVATE AMERICA®: Building on the YMCA’s 155-year history, YMCA Activate America is bringing people and their communities together to make healthier and more sustainable choices and decisions to address America’s growing health crisis. Launched in 2004, YMCA Activate America is an ambitious public health initiative that is seeking to help millions of Americans and their communities in the pursuit of well-being in spirit, mind and body. Expert advisors to the YMCA on this initiative include: Harvard University School of Public Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Steps to a HealthierUS, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Active Living by Design program, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors and others. Visit www.ymca.net/activateamerica.
ABOUT YMCA OF THE USA: YMCA of the USA is the national resource office for the nation’s 2,663 YMCAs, which serve 20.2 million people each year, including 9.5 million children under the age of 18. YMCAs unite men, women and children of all ages, faiths, backgrounds, abilities and income levels. From urban areas to small towns, YMCAs are collectively the nation’s largest nonprofit provider of child care and afterschool programs in nearly 10,000 diverse communities and neighborhoods across the U.S. A place for people to belong, YMCAs have proudly served America’s communities for nearly 160 years by building healthy spirit, mind and body for all. Visit www.ymca.net to find your local YMCA.
Contact:
Diane Hurles
Donor Relations Manager
YMCA of the USA
312-419-8374
Cell: 312-758-6397
diane.hurles@ymca.net