Sayre, Pa. - Guthrie recently awarded $5,000 to Bradford-Tioga Head Start, Inc. in support of a new program that will address childhood obesity in children between the ages of 3 and 5.
"This past year we identified that 36 percent of our Head Start children ages 3-5 are overweight or obese according to Body Mass Index (BMI) results," said Jody Thomas, executive director of Bradford-Tioga Head Start, Inc. "Our goals with the Guthrie grant funds are to decrease obesity/overweight in 3- to 5-year-old children by modifying staff, parent, and children's behavior; increase physical activity in children, parents and staff; and increase healthier eating habits in children, parents and staff. We are looking forward to embracing and promoting healthier lifestyles."
This award came from Guthrie's Community Benefit Grant Program, which funds projects that address areas of need within the community based on Guthrie's Community Health Needs Assessment. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), requires non-profit hospitals to complete a community needs assessment (CHNA) every three years. The following areas were identified for 2013-2016: obesity, lung cancer, and access to primary care.
For more information, or to apply for a Guthrie Community Benefit Grant, please visit www.guthrie.org.
Guthrie is a non-profit integrated health system located in north central Pennsylvania and Upstate New York, serving patients from an 11-county service area. Guthrie is comprised of a research institute, home care/hospice, hospitals in Sayre, Pa., Corning, N.Y., and Troy, Pa., as well as a multi-specialty group practice of more than 260 physicians and 130 mid-level providers in a regional office network encompassing sub-specialty and primary care sites in 23 communities throughout Pennsylvania and New York. Guthrie offers a wide range of services and programs designed to enhance the health and well-being of those it serves.
Submitted article.