Park and Recreation Agencies Fill Children's Hunger Gap During Summer Months

Serving Communities grants provide millions of nutritious meals to children

ASHBURN, Va., June 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- During the summer months, children may not have access to quality food to help them stay healthy and thousands may go hungry without nutritious meals. For a third year, the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) in partnership with the Walmart Foundation and Kansas Health Foundation will support local park and recreation agencies as they work to fill the hunger gap that children experience during the summer months through the Serving Communities grant program. 

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Eighty-four percent of park and recreation agencies across the country provide nutritious meals to children during the summer months.  The Serving Communities 2012 grants provide $1.4 million in support to 33 communities across the country as they ensure children in low-income and underserved communities have easy access to healthy summer meals, nutritional education and recreation opportunities for physical activity.  

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that 19.5 million low-income children receive free or reduced meals during the school year, but fewer than 3 million of these children participate in the Summer Food Service Program.

"Lack of access to healthy meals coupled with a decline in physical activity in the summer is a real and detrimental problem for children," says Barbara Tulipane, president and CEO of NRPA. "Park and recreation agencies are on the frontline fighting this trend. With generous gifts from the Walmart Foundation and Kansas Health Foundation our local champions can provide nutritious meals for thousands of children to support the development of a healthy and active generation."

Launched in 2010, and sustained with support by the Walmart Foundation's $2 billion commitment to fight hunger in the U.S., the Serving Communities program has helped park and recreation agencies serve 16 million meals reaching 180,000 low-income children. This is an increase of 3.7 million meals compared to 2009 figures. With the addition of Kansas Health Foundation's support in 2012, the NRPA Serving Communities program will have even greater impact.

For more information about the NRPA's Serving Communities program and a list of participating locations, visit www.nrpa.org/feeding. 

About the National Recreation and Park Association

The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing park, recreation and conservation efforts that enhance quality of life for all people.  Through its network of 20,000 recreation and park professionals and citizens, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy lifestyles, recreation initiatives, and conservation of natural and cultural resources.  For more information, visit www.NRPA.org.  For digital access to NRPA's flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.

About Philanthropy at Walmart 

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are proud to support initiatives that are helping people live better around the globe. In May 2010, Walmart and its Foundation made a historic pledge of $2 billion through 2015 to fight hunger in the U.S. The Walmart Foundation also supports education, workforce development, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness initiatives. To learn more, visit www.walmartfoundation.org.

About The Kansas Health Foundation

The Kansas Health Foundation is a private philanthropy dedicated to improving the health of all Kansans. For more information about the Kansas Health Foundation, visit www.kansashealth.org.

SOURCE National Recreation and Park Association