Grants fund The Y-USA, Sesame Workshop, The OASIS Institute and Alliance for a Healthier Generation in cities throughout the United States
BENTONVILLE, Ark., April 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity, are some of the most costly and deadly, but fortunately, they are also among the most preventable.* This week, as part of a national philanthropic effort, the Sam's Club Giving Program will award more than $2.8 million to organizations with programs that help prevent disease and promote healthy living. Prevention and awareness programs that help people from all walks of life make healthy choices and lifestyle changes can make a significant difference in reducing obesity, diabetes, heart disease and a host of other conditions.
The donations will be given to YMCA of the USA (Y-USA), Sesame Workshop, Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the OASIS Institute. Each of these organizations has sustainable, innovative programs that focus on disease prevention by creating awareness and providing education in an effort to target specific health and wellness issues. Most importantly, these programs can have a positive effect on the communities where Sam's Club Members and Associates live and work.
"At Sam's Club, we can make a difference by partnering with organizations that have the resources to implement national programs on a local level," said Jill Turner-Mitchael, senior vice president, Health and Wellness at Sam's Club. "These four organizations each address very different needs, and we hope that with these grants, they can make a lasting change in communities all across the country."
$2.8 MILLION IN ACTION
The Sam's Club Giving Program will award funding to the following organizations to support their programs that help prevent disease and promote healthy living.
places for kids to learn and staff to work.
FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY
In addition to financial support for deserving organizations, Sam's Club demonstrates a commitment to health and wellness issues in many other ways.
On Saturday, April 9 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., in more than 500 Sam's Club locations, the company will provide free health screenings in the pharmacy areas. These events are open to the public and those who choose to participate will be measured for body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and lung capacity. The YMCA, Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the Oasis Institute will also participate at select clubs in a ceremonial check presentation. For more information, times and locations of health screenings of participating Sam's Club locations, visit SamsClub.com/HealthyLiving.
About the Sam's Club Giving Program
Sam's Club supports community-based programs that empower young people, families and small businesses to make smart choices that lead to healthy and bright futures. In 2009 alone, on behalf of Sam's Club, the Walmart Foundation gave more than $73 million in cash and in-kind gifts to support local U.S. organizations focusing on education, health and children's programs including donating more than 38-million pounds of food to Feeding America food banks.
For more information about Sam's Club Giving, visit SamsClub.com/Giving.
* The Power of Prevention: Chronic Disease…the public health challenge of the 21st century Center for Disease Control (2009). http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/pdf/2009-Power-of-Prevention.pdf
SOURCE Walmart Sam's Club
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