Nestlé Announces Partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Nestlé in the United States reaffirms its commitment to creating a healthier generation by announcing a three-year partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA).  Nestlé is sponsoring a bi-annual National Fitness Competition through BGCA over the course of three years to inspire kids to achieve tangible short-term fitness goals. This partnership represents a new component in the company's larger strategy to promote nutrition education and physical activity through partnerships at the national and community levels, as well as research to inform its approach, say Nestlé officials. "We are very much looking forward to our collaboration with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, because we believe that Nestlé has a responsibility to the communities we serve," says Paul Grimwood, chief executive officer of Nestlé USA. "Childhood obesity is a growing problem – and we are working hard to reverse the trend with programs that promote physical activity – as well as programs that focus on the importance of a balanced diet, portion control, increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, and water for healthy hydration." The National Fitness Competition will launch this spring with 20 pilot Clubs and will expand to 100 Clubs this fall. By the third year, the competition is expected to reach 500 Clubs, engaging a total of 50,000 young people, officials add. Each spring and fall, Clubs will host local fitness competitions for their members, which will include activities broken out by age group and gender, along with three levels of competition: individual, among peers and against other Clubs to encourage a competitive spirit. "Nestlé employees have been active volunteers and supporters of Boys & Girls Clubs for many years. This partnership marks an exciting, increased commitment from the company that will inspire our Club kids to achieve their physical fitness goals. With more than 3 out of 10 kids today considered obese or overweight, Boys & Girls Clubs of America is focused on providing healthy lifestyles programs for kids to learn about the importance of health and fitness, while also developing increased self-confidence and motivation to succeed and achieve a great future," says Jim Clark, president & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. In keeping with Nestlé's emphasis on community volunteerism, the program will also include an emphasis on employee engagement, building on Nestlé USA's Adopt-A-School program that has been the cornerstone of the company's volunteer outreach efforts for the past 20 years and which is now expanding to include the planting and cultivating of edible gardens.