Healthy Kids Community Challenge Kicks Off This Weekend
The Healthy Kids Community Challenge launches in Ayr, Cambridge, Woolwich and Wilmot this weekend, and residents are invited to join their community at fun, free, local events that promote active play!
The Regional Municipality of Waterloo is receiving up to $1,125,000 from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term care to fund the Healthy Kids Community Challenge over the next three years to support communities in promoting physical activity and healthy eating for children 12 years and under and their families.
“I am excited to launch this program in 45 communities across Ontario. The idea is to get kids to learn healthy habits from an early age. Good habits learned in childhood will serve them well throughout their lives.”
— Dipika Damerla, Associate Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
Over the next few weeks in February, each city and township in Waterloo Region will host an event where families and caregivers can take part and find out more about the activities their community has planned for 2016 to keep kids physically active. Dates and locations are listed in the accompanying information package or through the website at: www.regionofwaterloo.ca/healthykids
The Healthy Kids Community Challenge is a new initiative in Waterloo Region that promotes the health of children and their caregivers through physical activity and healthy eating. The Healthy Kids Community Challenge is funded for three years by the province of Ontario and delivered as a partnership through all seven municipalities in Waterloo Region.
Only 7% of children and youth engage in 60 minutes of physical activity at least 6 days per week. Children are active by nature so we just need to encourage that natural urge to 'Run. Jump. Play. Every Day.' The Healthy Kids Community Challenge is designed to foster that type of active play in our community!
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Media contact: Kirsten Keil-Mehlenbacher, Coordinator, Health Communications, 519-575-4400 ext. 2244 kkeil-mehlenbacher@regionofwaterloo.ca