Submitted by Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County received two $5,000 Focus Grants to improve the health and wellbeing of Thurston County area youth, thanks to Amerigroup Foundation. The $10,000 donations to the Clubs provide kids and teens with critical programming during after-school time that creates a positive environment and supports a healthy, active lifestyle. These grants are some of dozens distributed across the country by Amerigroup Foundation to support Triple Play programming, which focuses on being healthy through the mind, body and soul.
Amerigroup Foundation will be issuing a $5,000 Focus Grant to the Boys & Girls Club of Thurston County Tumwater Unit and another $5,000 Focus Grant to Lacey Branch to provide programming focused on teaching the importance of healthy eating habits and being physically active to Club members.
“Kids and teens today face a variety of challenges when it comes to eating healthy and staying physically fit. That’s why we support Triple Play, to help ensure that our youth build life-long healthy habits with a firm foundation of support,” said Daryl Edmonds, president of Amerigroup Washington. “The Triple Play program and Boys & Girls Clubs in Thurston County are working to build great futures for our kids by changing the opportunity equation to help them make healthy choices and participate in healthy activities each and every day.”
As Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s proven health and wellness program, Triple Play is a game plan for the mind, body and soul. Supported by founding sponsor The Coca-Cola Company and co-sponsor, Amerigroup Foundation, the program’s three components encourage Club members to eat healthier (mind), become more physically active (body) and increase their ability to engage in healthy relationships (soul). Since the program’s inception in more than a decade ago, Triple Play has made over 10 million connections with kids and teens.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support and partnership of Amerigroup Foundation, because without their support we would not be able to impact so many kids and teens each year,” said Katya Miltimore, Executive Director, Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County. “With this grant, we hope to continue to provide new and much needed healthy lifestyles programming to kids who need it most, and create a positive foundation for them to grow and thrive.”
Amerigroup Foundation is committed to improving health and strengthening Washington communities. Through its Healthy Generations grant program, Amerigroup Foundation works to identify the issues most in need of attention and then directs its financial support and volunteer efforts toward improving health in those areas. Promoting youth health and active lifestyles is an ongoing focus of the foundation.
The Triple Play grants announced today are part of a five-year, $10 million commitment from Amerigroup Foundation’s parent company foundation to Boys & Girls Clubs of America to promote healthy lifestyles.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County is a youth development agency serving school-age youth 5-18 years old. Founded in 2001, four Club locations now serve over 2,700 local youth with the mission of inspiring and enabling young people, especially those in greatest need, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible citizens, by providing community-based Clubs that are safe and positive places for kids. BGCTC offers programming in five key areas: Character & Leadership Development; Education & Career Development; Health & Life Skills; The Arts; and Sports, Fitness and Recreation. For more information about BGCTC, please visit www.bgctc.org
