August 1, 2015
Being a preteen girl is hard enough without the added challenges of living in foster care! Special thanks go to our friends at the Chicago Backhawks Community Fund who taught the preteen girls at One Family Illinois about fitness, nutrition, and self-care.
This summer at our Chicago Village, all girls between the ages of 10-13 participated in Jump’n 4 Fitness- an eight-week total body movement and fitness class made possible by a grant from the Chicago Blackhawks Community Fund, a McCormick Foundation fund. Each 90-minute session included 60 minutes of fitness training and 30 minutes of nutrition education. Fun fitness activities and challenges helped with coordination and increased movement efficiency, posture, and performance. The program also taught teamwork, confidence-building, and addressed the special concerns and circumstances that many of the children at One Family Illinois face.
Bayyinah Muhammad, Education and Activity Coordinator for the Chicago Village commented that the girls “learned very useful and practical exercise and nutrition tips. They were able to identify some good habits they already had and others they agreed to incorporate in their daily routines. Some of the girls are already seeking out opportunities to be active at school this year.”
One Family Illinois thanks Right Fit Sports Fitness and Wellness and the Chicago Blackhawks Community Fund for giving our preteen girls confidence in themselves and the tools they need to grow into healthy and strong young women. The program will continue in the fall and the girls are looking forward to the next session.