Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation Partners with ChildObesity180 to Support Nationwide Wellness Programs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Feb. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation (BCBSF Foundation) is proud to announce a $125,000 grant in support of the Active Schools Acceleration Project's (ASAP) Innovation Competition, an initiative of ChildObesity180. As announced by First Lady Michelle Obama on February 7th, ASAP's Innovation Competition is designed to identify, reward, and scale the very best approaches and technological innovations in school-based physical activity.

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"Childhood obesity is a serious health threat to a generation of Floridians," said Susan Towler, vice president, BCBSF Foundation. "Through the BCBS Foundation's Embrace a Healthy Florida initiative, we are attacking the problem throughout the state. Since 2008 the BCBSF Foundation's Embrace a Healthy Florida initiative has donated well over $4 million to help reduce childhood obesity in the state," said Towler. "We are proud to partner with ChildObesity180 in support of this exciting initiative."

Based on creativity, impact, and potential for scale, school-based programs and technological innovations that promote physical activity for children will be eligible to earn meaningful prize money through the competition. The contest will award a total of $500,000 in prizes, with individual awards of up to $100,000.  In addition to school-based programming, ASAP wants to learn about innovative applications of technology, both in school and beyond, to get kids moving. "TVs and computers can sometimes be an impediment to physical activity," says the First Lady, "but we also know we can harness the power of technology to get our kids up and active." 

About The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation (BCBSF Foundation) is a separate philanthropic affiliate of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF), incorporated in the state of Florida. BCBSF Foundation, and its parent, BCBSF, are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information on the BCBSF Foundation, please visit its website at www.bluefoundationfl.com.  For more information about the COPE Coalition, please visit www.tallycope.org.

About ChildObesity180
Active Schools Acceleration Project (ASAP) is an initiative of ChildObesity180, an organization which fosters cross-sector collaboration through a portfolio of high-impact initiatives which aim to reverse the trend of childhood obesity within one generation's time.  The ChildObesity180 membership is comprised of national leaders from the public, nonprofit, academic, and private sectors that are using their reach and expertise to drive an integrated national strategy of high-impact initiatives to prevent childhood obesity.  ChildObesity180 is chaired by Peter Dolan, former CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb. Leading childhood obesity researcher Christina Economos, Ph.D., serves as the Vice-Chair and Director, and Miriam Nelson, PhD, as the Co-Director.  Drs. Economos and Nelson are faculty of the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Founded in 2009, ChildObesity180 is conducted in collaboration with Tufts University; the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation serves as a core strategic partner. For more information about ChildObesity180, visit www.ChildObesity180.org.

SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation