The University of Virginia Children’s Hospital and the Kohl’s Cares® program are teaming up again to bring Charlottesville and Albemarle County school children health education through the Kohl’s Growing Up Healthy Program.
The two organizations will host the Kohl’s Growing Up Healthy Expo on Saturday, May 21, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the new Kohl’s store in Hollymead Town Center (396 Town Center Dr., Charlottesville, VA). This event is free and open to the public. Children can take part in nutrition games and learn about the Food Guide Pyramid and healthy portion sizes. Crossfit, a local fitness company, will also be on hand to demonstrate fun exercises for kids.
During the expo, Kohl’s will present the UVA Children’s Fitness Clinic with a check for $52,002 in continued support of the Growing Up Healthy Program.
Learning to Like their Veggies Experts at the UVA Children’s Fitness Clinic , along with community partners, designed the Kohl’s Growing Up Healthy Program curriculum. So far, the program has been implemented in 14 Albemarle County Schools and two Charlottesville City Schools, reaching more than 600 elementary school students. It includes five weeks of educational sessions, covering these topics:
The Food Guide Pyramid: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Choosing Healthy Snacks Avoid Portion Distortion Eating Healthy when Eating Out Choosing Healthy Beverages
“Not only do the children have a great time learning about nutrition with our hands-on teaching tools, but they are able to practice what they have learned through physically active games,” says Layla O’Leary, outreach coordinator for the UVA Children’s Fitness Clinic. “No matter the age, children are always surprised by the eating out and sugary beverage lessons.”
Partnering for a Healthier Community Since 2004, Kohl’s has donated more than $183,000 to the UVA Children’s Hospital for health education programming to help kids understand what it means to be healthy.
Media opportunities: Members of the media are asked to arrive at 10 a.m. for the check presentation. In the event of rain, the expo will be rescheduled for May 28. Please call ahead to the media contact to confirm.
Interview Layla O’Leary, Outreach Coordinator for the UVA Children’s Fitness Clinic Interview Donna Russell, Charlottesville Kohl’s Store Manager
