ING Run For Something Better Receives Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future Champion Award

/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Financial services leader ING today received the Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future Champion Award from the Surgeon General for its ING Run For Something Better (ING RFSB) program. The Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future project focuses on recognizing and showcasing those communities throughout the nation that are addressing childhood obesity through prevention. They focus on programs that help kids stay active, encourage healthy eating habits and promote healthy choices. ING RFSB funds running and physical-fitness education programs in schools, offering children a healthy start in life and fostering their desire to exercise before obesity ever begins. "Teaching our children the importance of eating well and being physically active at a young age is crucial to reversing the trend of obesity in this country," said Acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H., a rear admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service. "Everyone has a role to play in this fight to prevent childhood overweight and obesity."

Rear Adm. Galson presented the award during his nationwide tour to promote the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Childhood Overweight and Obesity Prevention Initiative. Rhonda Mims, president of the ING Foundation, accepted the award on behalf of ING at the champion awards ceremony at the New Schools at Carver School of Health Sciences and Research. New Schools at Carver also received an award for helping local teenagers develop healthy habits through innovative health education and physical-activity programs. "Georgia is to be commended for its efforts in mobilizing communities, schools, government, businesses and committed individuals," added Galson.

"ING is committed to our nation's schools and educators. We also recognize the importance of giving back to the communities where we do business, and that's why we developed the program to help combat childhood obesity and promote kids' fitness," said Mims. "Since 2007, over 3,250 students from Atlanta Public Schools, Fulton County Schools and Decatur Middle School have run over 42,500 miles collectively through ING Run For Something Better," added Mims.

As the sponsor of a number of premier running events in the U.S., ING has been encouraging young people to get physically fit while helping Americans be more fiscally fit. Since the program's inception in 2003, ING RFSB's national campaign has funded free, school-based programs in which more than 40,000 children have collectively run over 1.2 million miles.

In 2006, ING also created the Orange Laces program - a public fundraising campaign that encourages everyone to join the cause. When someone donates $10 or more, ING gives them a pair of orange shoelaces to show they are "tied" to kids' fitness. One hundred percent of the net proceeds from Orange Laces donations go directly to ING Run For Something Better fitness programs.

-----
www.geogiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page