YMCA and ACTIVE Partner to Transform Communities
Despite all of the amazing medical breakthroughs that have occurred in the past, something terrible is happening. Since 1980, childhood obesity has risen 300%. 70% of our 5-17 years olds are at risk for cardiovascular disease. For the first time in history, we’re looking at a generation of children who are facing a shorter life expectancy than their parents.On top of these health trends, we've seen how rising adolescent crime rates and after-school program budget cuts affect communities. It hurts where we live.The good news is that it’s preventable. At ACTIVE Network, we’re on a mission to stem the tide.
Practicing What We Preach
You see, at its core, our mission is to help the world become more active. We create technology for organizations that create activity for communities. Through their work, these organizations make our kids—and everyone else—healthier, more involved and generally stronger. We want to support what these organizations are doing to get people more active because we believe that activities of all types help people become healthier and happier, which, in turn, builds healthier, happier, and safer communities.It’s more than just a business to us. It’s who we are and it pervades our culture:
Practicing What We Preach—at Home
There’s a reason we call ourselves ACTIVE. We’re trying to BE the change we want to see in the world! We start our mission at home, building a team of employees who are active themselves, and who have passion, ideas and energy for creating a healthier world. Our internal ACTIVEx program is an integral part of this core mission, providing not only multiple avenues at the office to motivate physical health, but also giving employees two days off every year to be active (physically or philanthropically)—at ACTIVE’s expense! Employees use this time to travel to marathons or Iron Man competitions, and for the mission and volunteer work that fits their personal passion.
Practicing What We Preach—in the Community
We also bring our employees together around charitable opportunities, like our annual ACTIVEx Charity Challenge that encourages employees to swim, cycle, and run to raise money for a charity. This year, we've partnered with Kids in the Game and the YMCA for the second year in a row, to raise funds for underprivileged youth to participate in sports activities that would typically be out of reach for them. In 2013 alone, this partnership racked up over 38,000 hours of activity from 1,869 kids who wouldn't have had the opportunity to participate otherwise.
Practicing What We Preach—With the YMCA
One of the top activities organizations in the U.S. is the YMCA. Our goals align perfectly with the Y’s mission to create programs that build a healthy spirit, mind, and body, and bring communities together for the common good. Here’s how we’re working together:
The YMCA is helping to reverse the trends that today’s youth are facing, which puts us on the same team! Whether it’s through our internal culture, our ACTIVEx programs, or our technology, we’re very excited to be a part of that progress. Click below to see how you can partner with ACTIVE and, together, change the communities we live in. Join Us in Our Mission to Transform Communities
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