The Boys & Girls Club of America has always been a positive influence. With the new partnership with Amway, and the POSITIVE SPROUTS program it’s better than ever. Let me tell you why.
Why I Appreciate the POSITIVE SPROUTS Program
Growing up, both John and I had parents who struggled to make ends meet. Our mom’s worked multiple jobs and weren’t always home for meals. When they were home they seemed to make up for the lack of time spent together with food. Food was the answer to so many things, not just hunger: attention seeking, sadness, happiness, whining, cuts & scraps as well as boredom. I’m not talking about a snack here and there either, I’m talking about complete meals – fried, battered and/or coated foods that were in no way good for us.
The gross misuse of food was bred into John and I, and when we became parents we inadvertently started to pass on the same message our parents passed on to us. The message that said “Food will fix it.” I’ve become increasingly concerned with each of my son’s check-ups; every time I see the numbers on the scale drastically increase. I watch as his grandmother’s offer heaps of food on a plate at family dinners and I hesitate to speak up because I don’t want to offend anyone.
Today I’m making more of a conscious effort to make sure my family is eating better; healthier. I do my best to make sure the kids see us eating healthy foods and opting for nutritious snacks instead of junk food. It’s hard to shake those years of childhood where food was our best friend, but to make sure my family’s health and well-being it’s something I know I must do.
I’m very excited about the partnership between the Boys and Girls Clubs and Amway and the POSITIVE SPROUTS program; they’re making it their mission to help educate Club members about the importance of healthy diets & lifestyles. Together BGCA and Amway have teamed up to form 3 different initiatives that expand on their mission:
- POSITIVE SPROUTS® Sustainability Grants – Amway is providing $30,000 in Sustainability Grants to ten deserving Boys & Girls Clubs who previously received community gardens from Amway. The funds are designed to aid Clubs with the maintenance of their garden as well as improve nutrition for Club members. For more information on the POSITIVE SPROUTS program, click here: http://www.myclubmylife.com/positivesprouts/Pages/Welcome.aspx
- Garden In A Box Kits – Amway is donating 150 Garden In A Box kits to Boys & Girls Clubs who demonstrated an interest and need for establishing a community gardening program at their Club. The kit includes a variety of fruit and vegetable seeds and supplies Clubs need to get started.
- POSITIVE SPROUTS® Curriculum – Amway is enabling the delivery of a healthy food curriculum to 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide ensuring that all Clubs have access to educational materials promoting healthy eating habits.
The POSITIVE SPROUTS program is definitely an initiative I can get behind and support 100%. The Boys & Girls Club of America has supported and strengthened communities for over 100 years, and with three out of 10 kids being overweight or obese this partnership couldn’t come at a better time.
It’s so important to me to teach my kids the importance of eating healthy and the resources from BGCA allows me to educate myself so that I can educate others. I’m truly thankful for the POSITIVE SPROUTS program.
Visit the BGCA website to learn more about the partnership with Amway, and be sure to connect with BGCA on Facebook and @BGCA_Clubs on Twitter.
How do you make sure you’re passing on healthy eating habits to your children?
Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Amway. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating
About Amber Killmon
This is an amazing program!!! I don’t have kids yet, but I would definitely try to educate them about food at an early age.
I love this. What an amazing program. :)
Wow! That is really incredible! I love it.
What a great way to help kids! Unfortunately, a lot of caregivers tend to shower children with “stuff” to make up for shortcomings in other areas. It’s a good thing you recognize the food issues in yourself, so that you can try to reinforce those positive habits in your children!
Like you, I was taught very unhealthy eating habits. I am trying to change them in my adulthood. It is great that people are stepping in to help educate our children to do better then we have. :)
Dawn
http://www.cheapisthenewclassy.com
On the weekends when our family was together to actually eat dinner, we had pizza on Friday night and then some type of fried food on Saturday – either chicken or fish. We ate vegetables but if you would have asked me where they were from, I would have told you a can. I think that’s one of the reasons I appreciate fresh, locally grown food as an adult and make sure my daughter knows vegetables do not come from cans!
This is such a great way for kids to learn about eating healthy and an awesome program!