The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (AJLI) and Kashi recently honored the Junior League of Dallas (JLD) with a $2,500 grant supporting its Kids in the Kitchen Program at the 92nd annual AJLI conference. The program empowers youth to make healthy lifestyle choices and reverse the growth of child obesity. JLD had the distinct pleasure of being one of the nine Leagues chosen for this award. 2014-2015 JLD President Julie Bagley, 2014-2015 President-Elect Meredith Mosely and 2013-2014 JLD President Laura Johnson, were in attendance and accepted the grant on behalf of the Dallas organization and their partner, UnitedHealthcare.

The eight-week Kids in the Kitchen program, themed “Super Food + Super Fitness = Super Kids,” educates more than 400 Dallas children on eating well and staying healthy and incorporates U.S. government nutritional guidelines. JLD offers the program at no cost to participating children through a generous sponsorship from UnitedHealthcare. Last year, the program served seven after-school agencies in nine locations throughout Dallas County. JLD volunteers conducted a half-day training session with after-school agency coordinators focused around the Kids in the Kitchen curriculum. The program focuses on reaching kindergarten through fifth grade youth during three-hour sessions, which includes age-appropriate recipe preparations, exciting exercise activities and ways to introduce nutrition and fitness tips to their families.

Kids in the Kitchen provides children and their families with the tools they need to make nutritious eating choices with the belief that education is the first step in making a lasting change in the current childhood obesity statistics. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese.

Research has demonstrated that proper nutrition and regular exercise are necessary to prevent obesity, yet many families in the Dallas Community lack the resources to practice healthier lifestyles. In 2014-2015, the Junior League of Dallas will use additional funds raised from new sponsors like Kashi to expand the reach of the program in the Dallas area.

About Kids in the Kitchen
Kids in the Kitchen was founded in 2006 and is supported by the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) and more than 250 Junior Leagues around the country. The goal of the Junior Leagues' Kids in the Kitchen initiative is to empower youth to make healthy lifestyle choices and help reverse the growth of childhood obesity and its associated health issues. For information on AJLI and Kids in the Kitchen, visit http://kidsinthekitchen.ajli.org/?nd=about.

Junior League of Dallas                                                                                                                                                                                                 The Junior League of Dallas is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Founded in 1922, the Junior League of Dallas trains members for effective participation in the community and is dedicated to the belief that volunteer service is an essential part of responsible citizenship. Whether tutoring students, rocking infants, answering crisis line calls or serving on non-profit boards and coalitions, the 5,000 Junior League members provide more than 130,000 hours of community service each year, while making sure that each donated dollar works its hardest to help those in Dallas who need it most. Active members range in age from 22 to 49 and 74 percent are employed outside of the home. For more information, please visit www.jld.net.

UnitedHealthcare                                                                                                                                                                                                       UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 800,000 physicians and care professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. Globally, UnitedHealthcare serves more than 45 million people in health benefits and is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.