Education, Family, Finance, Local, News, Youth

United Way of Northern Arizona — Healthy Bodies, Healthy Futures

by Community Contributor • November 16, 2023 • Comments Off

The need for programs that encourage physical health have never been more essential for our region’s youth than now.

According to the United Health Foundation, only 16.8% of Arizona children between the ages of 6 and 17 are physically active for an hour a day. The latest report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation indicates that 31% of children 10 to 17 in the state are overweight or obese.

Part of stepping up for our youth includes ensuring our kids make healthy choices – from the foods they eat to putting down their devices for a while and getting active.

From the desk of:

Liz Archuleta

President & CEO

Research shows that the most effective way to build a healthier generation of young people is to focus on developing healthy habits during childhood, instead of trying to correct unhealthy behaviors later on in life.

That’s why we are United in Purpose in supporting programs and initiatives that promote healthy bodies and healthy minds at United Way of Northern Arizona.

Here are a handful of the programs that your donation dollars to UWNA make possible:

A healthy lifestyles initiative through Boys & Girls Club that serves 325 school-aged youth from Kindergarten through grade 12 in Flagstaff, Winslow, and Holbrook. The program provides at-risk youth throughout northern Arizona with weekly cooking classes so they can learn how to safely make nutritious dishes at home. There are lessons on avoiding harmful habits, and daily opportunities to ensure all youth – regardless of age, interests or fitness levels – can participate in physical activity every day.

Funding from UWNA makes it possible for financial aid so that students in Coconino, Navajo, and Apache counties can take part in Grand Canyon Youth’s outdoor expeditions. Research shows that in a highly digital world, youth benefit from time outside disconnected from their screens, and northern Arizona is uniquely situated to provide incredible outdoor learning opportunities that help to build youth resiliency. Through collaborations with schools and local agencies, these trips help a diverse population of students learn, engage, and develop skills that will serve them their entire lives.

UWNA funding also makes the Girls on the Run program available to dozens of lower income girls in Flagstaff in grades 3 through 8. As early as age 9, girls’ self-confidence begins to decline and by the time they are in middle school, about half will experience bullying. This program works to empower girls to know and activate their limitless potential through an evidence-based curriculum that promotes social-emotional learning, critical life skills, and healthy attitudes and behaviors among adolescent girls.

Your donation to United Way of Northern Arizona during the 2023-2024 annual campaign helps fund these and other programs that step up for our youth by encouraging their physical health.

Please consider joining us today and living United in Purpose through your donation to UWNA.

DONATE TODAY