MILTON - Greater Susquehanna Valley YMCA, Milton Branch was awarded one of seven HEROES grants from UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group company, for a youth-led project that addresses childhood obesity.
Grants of up to $1,000 each were awarded to programs that demonstrate a clear understanding of the health risks associated with childhood obesity and propose creative solutions that can be effectively implemented.
Projects will culminate on Global Youth Service Day, the world's largest and longest-running youth-led service campaign, in April.
Greater Susquehanna Valley YMCA, Milton Branch received a grant to support its weekly TGIF program and to purchase aquatic basketball hoops for its indoor pool and pamphlets outlining nutrition and exercise recommendations for kids.
According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in three children is obese or overweight.
If left unchecked or untreated, obesity will affect 43 percent of adults by 2018 and will add nearly $344 billion in that year alone to the nation's annual direct health care costs, accounting for more than 21 percent of health care spending, according to America's Health Rankings.