San Francisco 49ers And California Dairy Families Hand Off $10,000 Grant To Fuel Up Santa Clara Unified School District

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Research shows that physical activity, in combination with good nutrition, is essential to a healthy lifestyle.¹ That is why the San Francisco 49ers in collaboration with the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), representing more than 1500 dairy families, are awarding Santa Clara Unified School District with a Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP 60) "Hometown Grant" of $10,000 to support healthy nutrition and physical activity programs in schools throughout the district.

FUTP 60 is a national in-school physical activity and nutrition program activated in California by the CMAB and the San Francisco 49ers that encourages youth to consume low-fat and fat-free dairy products, fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains while achieving at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

Today, representatives from the San Francisco 49ers and CMAB will present Santa Clara Unified School District representatives with the grant and lead students from throughout the district in physical activity drills during a special event at Buchser Middle School. The event also will highlight FUTP 60's For the Love of Play campaign, which runs through Oct. 17 and encourages kids and the adults who care about them to get up and get active for 60 minutes a day – at school, at home, and everywhere in between, as part of a healthy lifestyle. For the Love of Play is a partnership between FUTP 60, Quaker and the NFL that empowers students, teachers, parents and community members to help keep kids moving for a healthier generation.

"California dairy families are dedicated to supporting the health and wellness of California's students, which means eating a healthy diet that includes nutritious dairy products and exercising for at least 60 minutes a day," said Jennifer Giambroni, Director of Communications for the CMAB. "We are proud to partner with the 49ers to help advance Santa Clara Unified School District's dedication to providing healthy options, both in diet and play, for its school community."

The "Hometown Grant" program developed by FUTP 60 and the National Football League (NFL) provides the beneficiary organizations with the opportunity to identify deserving schools in their areas and provide them with grants to help meet their health and wellness goals. The money awarded to Santa Clara Unified School District will be used to continue to reinforce district-wide dedication to physical activity and wellness programs that benefit the entire school district community.

"The San Francisco 49ers, along with the National Football League, are committed to helping today's students be as active and healthy as possible," said Joanne Pasternack, San Francisco 49ers Director of Community Relations and the 49ers Foundation. "The San Francisco 49ers players, coaches and staff are honored to serve as local ambassadors for the California Milk Advisory Board and Fuel Up to Play 60 through the collaboration, beginning with this grant to Santa Clara Unified School District, right here in our own backyard."

Additionally, qualifying schools throughout the state of California participating in FUTP 60 may be eligible for up to $4,000 for the 2014-2015 school year to help support their health and wellness programs. This competitive program is designed to support schools that implement plays from the 2014-2015 edition of the Fuel Up to Play 60 Playbook. These plays can range from creating a healthy breakfast program at school to coordinating a 100 Mile Club, which challenges students to walk, jog or run 100 miles at school in a single school year to improve their health and well-being.

Each of the 32 NFL Clubs, FUTP 60 and local dairy representatives will provide grants throughout the country totaling a $320,000 investment in youth health and wellness.

Created in partnership with the NFL and National Dairy Council, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fuel Up to Play 60 is the nation's largest in-school wellness program, creating real transformational change in more than 73,000 schools nationwide. As a result of the program, last year 14 million students ate better by adding nutritious foods like low-fat and fat-free milk and milk products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains to their meals. Additionally, 14 million are getting more physically active during the school day.

"We are honored to be presented with this grant and the opportunity to further strengthen our district's wellness and physical activity programming for our students," said Stan Rose, Superintendent, Santa Clara Unified School District.

About the San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers, owned by Denise and John York, currently play in the NFC West division and have won five Super Bowl trophies including Super Bowl XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV and XXIX. The franchise also has six conference championships and 19 divisional championships and was the first major league professional sports team to be based in San Francisco over 60 years ago. Please visit www.49ers.com and follow the 49ers on Facebook and Twitter @49ers.

About Santa Clara Unified School District:
Santa Clara Unified: Santa Clara Unified School District serves over 15,300 K-12 students, in addition to students in Preschool through Adult School. Neighborhoods in the Cities of Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, San Jose, and Cupertino comprise the District's 56 square-mile area. Santa Clara Unified prides itself on having teachers, classified employees and administrators who are dedicated, experienced professionals who care about each student's well-being and academic preparation. For more information, visit www.santaclarausd.org.

About the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB)
The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state's more than 1,500 dairy families. With headquarters in South San Francisco and Modesto, the CMAB is one of the largest commodity boards in the United States. The CMAB executes advertising, public relations, research and retail and foodservice promotional programs on behalf of California dairy products, including Real California Milk and Real California Cheese. For more information and to connect with the CMAB through social media, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com, like at Facebook.com/RealCaliforniaMilk, view videos at YouTube.com/RealCaliforniaMilk, follow at Twitter.com/RealCalifMilk and Instagram.com/RealCalifMilk and pin at Pinterest.com/RealCalifMilk

About Fuel Up to Play 60
Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by National Football League (NFL) and National Dairy Council (NDC), which was founded by America's dairy farmers, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The program encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. As a result of the program, last year 14 million students made better food choices by selecting nutritious options like low-fat and fat-free dairy products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Additionally, 14 million students are getting more physically active during the school day.

Fuel Up to Play 60 is designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own health by implementing long-term, positive changes for themselves and their schools. Customizable and non-prescriptive program components are grounded in research with youth, including tools and resources, in-school promotional materials, a website and student contests. Fuel Up to Play 60 is further supported by several health and nutrition organizations: Action for Healthy Kids, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Association/Foundation, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association. Visit FuelUpToPlay60.com to learn more.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141008/151035

SOURCE California Milk Advisory Board