Gulfstream donates $1 million to Children's Wellness Program

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. has donated $1 million to the Children’s Wellness Program at The Children’s Hospital at Memorial University Medical Center to help in the fight against childhood obesity.

The Savannah-based business jet manufacturer was an early supporter of the program, and thes donation will fuel an expansion of its scope and reach.

“When we launched our Children’s Wellness Program in 2012, Gulfstream was first to partner with us on this important initiative,” said Maggie Gill, president and CEO of Memorial Health. “This generous donation and Gulfstream’s continued support will help us provide wellness education and opportunities for the children in our region.”

Since its inception two years ago, the wellness program has trained more than 230 health care providers, educators and school cafeteria managers on ways to treat and prevent obesity in children. The program was crafted in response to growing concern about high rates of childhood obesity in Chatham County.

“Gulfstream is committed to contributing to the health and wellness of our community,” said Mark Bennett, Gulfstream’s corporate responsibility manager. “Our partnership with The Children’s Hospital at Memorial University Medical Center allows us to take that commitment one step further and improve the quality of life for our community’s most important assets – our children.”

The core principles of the program for children are good nutrition and increased physical activity. Memorial, among other efforts, has hired a pediatric nutritionist to provide nutrition training for local public and private schools and early childhood centers.

The program also works directly with children and their families to encourage healthy behaviors.

Source:    http://savannahnow.com