Kane County Fit for Kids grants focus on produce, diet
The Making Kane County Fit for Kids Funders Consortium Wednesday distributed $68,803 to 17 agencies to fight childhood obesity.
The Fit Kids 2020 Plan grants are intended to promote active lifestyles and increase access to fresh produce.
It is the second round of grants this year.
The Funders Consortium's members are the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, the United Way of Elgin, the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, the Kane County Regional Office of Education and the Kane County health, development and transportation departments.
Agencies and programs receiving the money were:
Ÿ The Downtown Elgin Harvest Market, $3,500 to take Supplemental Nutrition Aid Program electronic-benefits transfers as payment for food.
Ÿ The Elgin Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, $1,500 for its “Bike for Life” program.
Ÿ Elgin Community Garden Network, $10,000 to expand.
Ÿ Highland Fellowship Church, $4,000 to add community gardens on church grounds.
Ÿ South Elgin, $10,000 for the SEBA Park playground.
Ÿ $10,000 to pay for refrigeration for the Northern Illinois Food Bank in Geneva, All People's Interfaith food pantry and Feeding Greater Elgin initiative in Elgin, and Two Rivers Head Start and Allen Elementary School in Aurora, to store fresh produce and dairy for distribution to clients.
Ÿ Batavia city and schools, $10,000 for signs to indicate designated routes for walking to schools.
Ÿ The Healthy Living Council of Greater Aurora, $9,720 for an employee health initiative project.
Ÿ West Aurora schools, $4,100 for the “Healthy Eating Habits Project” at Hill Elementary, Jewel Middle, Jefferson Middle, Washington Middle, Hope Wall and West Aurora High schools.
Ÿ Northern Illinois University and the Aurora Farmers Market, $4,783 for the “Kids Pick Produce” program.
Ÿ Dreyer Medical Clinic, $1,200 for Web-based cooking classes, “Nutrition Basics for the Busy Family.”
The Fit Kids 2020 Plan was developed by parents, physicians, engineers, educators, planners, public health professionals, transportation experts, faith leaders, and local policy makers. They worked in nine groups, focusing on built and natural environments, economic strength, faith community, family, culture and community, food policy, health care and medicine, mobility, recreation and lifestyle and schools and recreation.
To see the plan, visit makingkanefitforkids.org/site/data/FFK_2020_Plan.pdf.