About Us
PowerUp! is a program designed to combat Georgia’s childhood obesity epidemic through behavior modification regarding physical activities and health and nutrition education.
The initial PowerUp! Program was launched in YMCA After-School programs representing students from seven schools in the metro Atlanta area. The effort incorporates the YMCA’s successful Youth Fit For Life™ (YFFL) program for children between 5 and 12. The 2010 inaugural PowerUp! schools include Spalding Drive, Benefield Elementary and the J.M. Tull-Gwinnett Family YMCA after school program with a combination of students from Cedar Hills, Margaret Winn Holt, Craig, Pharr, and Simonton. The funding for the 2010 program has allowed PowerUp! to continue in these schools for 2011.
The 2011 partner schools are: Esther Jackson, Mimosa Elementary, and Roswell North.
Why is this so important? A recent report from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that Georgia has the third-highest percentage of obese and overweight children between the ages of 10-17 in the country, at 37.3%. Our goal is to activate as many programs as necessary through our unique partnerships to reach the future leaders of tomorrow and make a difference.
Led by the Resurgens Charitable Foundation, the PowerUp! initiative includes a combination of efforts from organizations such as: the Georgia PTA, YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta, Lenz Marketing, fitAtlanta Magazine, the Health Education and Communication Center of Atlanta, the Georgia Department of Education, and the Georgia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. Click here to read more about our partners.
