Monkey Joe's And The American Heart Association Join Forces To Promote Active Living

ATLANTA, Aug. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Monkey Joe's, a children's entertainment franchise filled with indoor jumps, slides and obstacle courses, announces its national relationship with the American Heart Association, the nation's largest voluntary organization devoted to fighting cardiovascular diseases and stroke. During the month of September, participating Monkey Joe's locations will be collecting donations to support the American Heart Association through Active Kids = Healthy Hearts, a campaign created by Monkey Joe's to promote a more active lifestyle for children.  Donations received during the month of September will benefit the cardiovascular health of children through programs such as Jump Rope For Heart, Hoops For Heart and additional children's health initiatives. 

"Today, about one of three American kids and teens are overweight or obese." explains Pediatric Cardiologist Michael Gewitz, MD, immediate past Chair of the AHA's Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young and Physician-in-Chief at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital/NY Medical College, Valhalla, NY. "The good news is that most of the time the solutions for this national problem begin and end with the daily decisions people make. Hopefully, those decisions will help kids and families live heart-healthy lives. Monkey Joe's reaches thousands of children each year and the AHA goal with this national relationship is to educate parents on activities and programs available to keep their children active, as well as showcase new ways for kids to get the recommended 60 minutes of daily exercise they need."

12,000 Jumps Effort
Although Monkey Joe's is known predominately as a fun family destination, it is also an active location for children, with an average five year old child burning 114 calories for each 30 minutes, by simply doing what they love, jumping and sliding on the inflatables. In order to promote a more active lifestyle for children during the month of September, Monkey Joe's locations will be calculating the total number of hours jumped throughout the month with the goal of obtaining 12,000 hours of jumping nationwide by September 28, National Family Health and Fitness Day.    

"We are excited to officially announce our relationship with the American Heart Association," explains Sonny Crumpton, brand leader of Monkey Joe's. "For years we have been looking for an organization to align with our mission of providing children with ways to achieve a more active lifestyle. We look forward to an ongoing relationship and obtaining 12,000 hours of jumping in September."

Calling All Active Kids
In addition to the in-store celebration, Monkey Joe's will also be giving away one gift card for a free end-of-season party for a sports team to a loyal social media fan.  Fans can enter on the Monkey Joe's Corporate Facebook page at www.facebook.com/monkeyjoes from September 9 - September 20 for a chance to win a free party at their local Monkey Joe's, valued at $250. The winner will be announced on National Family Fitness and Health Day, September 28, on the Facebook page.

For more information on Active Kids = Healthy Hearts, visit www.monkeyjoes.com.  For more information on the American Heart Association, visit www.heart.org.

About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America's No. 1 and No. 4 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. 

About Monkey Joe's
Monkey Joe's is a fun and exciting inflatable-filled indoor facility that provides families with engaging and interactive activity and entertainment – all day, every day (no special occasion necessary!). Today Monkey Joe's operates more than 58 facilities pure-kid-fun in motion.

CONTACT: Kelly Rona, 404-214-0722 ext:107, [email protected]

SOURCE Monkey Joe's