For eight weeks, Kids in the Game partners with Bronx Health REACH to bring fitness and wellness activities to 11 places of worship in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan. Our coaches are tasked with teaching physical education in ways that can be sustained at home, as well as in each respective community.

Kids in the Game provided over 200 youth and parents across the Bronx with nutrition and physical fitness education. In all of our sites, there is an increased sense of community and newfound ownership over their physical and mental wellbeing. We stretched, we laughed, we did multiple squats, but most importantly we completed the program with enthusiasm and a commitment to wellness that will continue to develop in the future!

Our Sites

Why this work is particularly important in the Bronx:

Brandon Evans, our Program Coordinator, works closely with the Bronx Health REACH team, Emily Oppenheimer and Yolanda Benitez, on securing coaches for the eleven programming sites. Once a week for an hour and a half, Kids in the Game comes together with NYU and the Institute for Family Health to host the program to fight these statistics.

Each session is divided into a nutrition lesson provided by NYU and the Institute for Family Health, followed by a physical activity put on by our Kids in the Game coaches. The coaches lead kids and their parents in fitness activities that are both space appropriate and flexible for all physical ability levels. The context of the fitness activity varies from each site and coach, but each site shares the same unique goal of bringing physical fitness to underserved communities in a way that will be sustained at home, beyond those eight weeks.

“Kids in the Game coaches engage underserved communities of diverse backgrounds with one common goal: to increase physical activity and bridge the wellness gap. We had families who had never played together engage in fun activities and commit to continuing the goal of implementing physical activity into their everyday lives. For 11 places of worship, Kids in the Game provided the tools and resources for increased wellness and a change in the physical and mental well being of a multitude of families,”

Brandon Evans.

One of the largest wins we had this year was growth in parent engagement from week one to week eight. When we started, the adults would step to the side while the kids engaged and participated in the activities. After challenging our coaches to find creative ways to include the adults, we saw tremendous growth in the parent participation. Promoting positive and impactful play between the parents and kids was one of our desired outcomes, and it has made a huge impact on the communities we serve.

The Bronx Health REACH was formed in 1999 to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes in diabetes and heart disease in African American and Latino communities in the southwest Bronx. Since then, the Bronx Health REACH coalition, led by the Institute for Family Health, has grown to include over 70 community-based organizations, health care providers, faith-based institutions, housing, and social service agencies.

Bronx Health REACH

Organize. Build. Play. Whether we are talking about Legos, fort building, or gathering friends for a pickup game of soccer the process remains the same: Organize. Build. Play. KING partnered up with the VML foundation this past week to put these words into action while giving back to our community. The VML Foundation is the non-profit foundation of VML (a creative advertising agency) that aims to give back to the communities they work and live in. Each year their 26 worldwide locations take the same day off work to participate in the VML Foundation Day and volunteer. This year, VML New York City chose to work with KING.

It is not everyday that we need 100+ volunteers on a Thursday in September, but that did not stop us from organizing, building, and playing!

Step 1 Organize: After a generous donation from the VML foundation we were able to order large quantities of brand new PE equipment to be donated to 3 schools: 2 in Harlem and 1 in the Bronx. 8 dozen balls, 160+ cones, dozens of jump ropes, flag football gear, floor spots, and basically any other PE gear you can imagine all randomly packed in boxes—mix and match, sort it out and get that gear organized.

Step 2 Build: Many schools in New York City not only lack adequate PE equipment, but also lack storage space for the equipment they do have. Racks, boxes, and storage containers to the rescue! Our VML volunteers got out their tools and constructed storage solutions for each school.

Step 3 Play: The hard work is done and now it’s time to enjoy the benefits; it is finally time to play! The three schools we partnered with were gracious enough to welcome us into their gyms for the donation unveil and to play a few games. The VML team was greeted by over 240 excited kids ready to dominate in a game of wizard ball! It is debatable who had more fun playing, the kids or the volunteers; we will call it a tie for now!

The day allowed 100+ volunteers the opportunity to travel back to their elementary and middle school days and forget about their day-to-day worries. The day also opened their eyes to the struggles many schools have to keep up with adequate equipment. The impact this volunteer day had on these schools will continue to grow each time a kid uses a basketball or a jump rope that they didn’t have before.

To be able to give back to the communities we work with is the best part of our jobs. A big thanks to the VML foundation for joining us in the fun, it was a day for the books!

What was said about the event:

“…We would like to thank your organization and the VML Foundation for your very generous gifts of equipment and your valuable time spent with our students yesterday. The equipment will help our sports teams tremendously and the Scholarship will aid one of our 8th graders to attend one of your summer camps.” –Patrick Mangan, Athletic Director, Frederich Douglas Academy

“What an incredible day for everybody. Everybody was talking about it today, sharing pictures, stories, etc. Great stuff, great organization you guys have” -Chris Furse VML Executive Director

“I know I speak for our entire office, and especially our Foundation Team, when I say that the entire KING team made the day yesterday. We’ve gotten so much positive feedback from our exec team and various staff members, and that was in large part to your team and the passion you all have for coaching, the kids, your energy, and the overall mission of KING Kids.” -Jaime Manela, VML Foundation Team Leader