UnitedHealth Group is partnering with professional golfer and Optum Health Ambassador Rory McIlroy to launch What’s Your 30, a health and wellness pledge challenging youth to make commitments to live a healthier life.
Collaborating with two Atlanta organizations, Ivy Preparatory Academy and East Lake YMCA, UnitedHealth Group and Rory brought the What’s Your 30 challenge to Atlanta-based youth Tuesday, August 20. The challenge aims to get kids to commit to one action to help them live a healthier lifestyle. Whether they focus on fitness, nutrition or mental well-being, the 165 students involved in Ivy Prep’s after-school program are being asked to pledge 30 minutes, 30 reps or 30 steps each day.
Encouraging young people to exercise is important because only 24% of children ages 6 to 17 participate in 60 minutes of physical activity every day, according to the Child & Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative.
UnitedHealth Group will make a contribution in the name of Rory McIlroy, a four-time PGA major championship winner. The contribution will fund the YMCA Youth Fit 4 Life after-school program at Ivy Preparatory Academy for the 2019-2020 academic year.
The decision by UnitedHealth Group to support the YMCA Youth Fit 4 Life program is part of its ongoing commitment to young people.
“Every effort to improve fitness can have a big impact – as a champion professional athlete like Rory McIlroy knows,” said Dave Wichmann, CEO, UnitedHealth Group. “The What’s Your 30 pledge and funding of the Youth Fit 4 Life program is a great way to work with two outstanding organizations, Ivy Prep and YMCA of Metro Atlanta, to support the fitness efforts of Atlanta-based youth. These types of partnerships underscore our mission to help people live healthier lives and help make the health care system work better for everyone.”
“I’m proud to be an Optum Health Ambassador, and excited to partner with parent company UnitedHealth Group CEO Dave Wichmann to help people live healthier lives,” said four-time major championship winning golfer Rory McIlroy. “The What’s Your 30 program provides an opportunity for everyone to take the small steps to build healthy habits that will last a lifetime.”
About Ivy Preparatory Academy
Launched in 2008, Ivy Prep is a charter school for girls in Atlanta. Ivy Prep serves more than 400 students, 78% of whom are living at or below the poverty level.
About Youth Fit 4 Life
Children involved in the YMCA of Metro Atlanta Youth Fit 4 Life after-school curriculum participate four times per week. Each 45-minute session includes high-energy physical activities and a short educational component where children learn about healthy eating and setting goals. Youth Fit 4 Life is available on-site after school, hosted by YMCA instructors around Atlanta, and provides a variety of fun activities to help build strength, endurance and flexibility. In addition, a series of self-management skills-building exercises are used to reinforce healthy behaviors over time.
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