LINCOLN, NE: The Lincoln Community Learning Centers (CLCs) will receive the first-ever Place Matters Pioneer award this Friday, June 27 for their leadership in championing youth fitness. The award is presented by the Community Health Endowment of Lincoln.
The Community Health Endowment of Lincoln’s mission is to make Lincoln the healthiest community in the nation through grantmaking, collaboration, and public education. The award is given by the Board of Trustees to an organization that demonstrates leadership and vision in addressing health disparities.
Lincoln CLCs support youth, families, and neighborhoods to be successful, thriving, and strong. The CLCs “Get in the Game” project supports Kindergarten through 5th grade sports leagues in 20 high poverty schools by funding equipment, referee and coach costs, travel, and entry fees. The goal is to make youth sports more accessible and encourage participation in physical activities, such as basketball, soccer, and running.
The “Get in the Game” project was inspired in part by data released by the Community Health Endowment and Lincoln Public Schools in their Place Matters report. The data demonstrated a correlation between high poverty areas and lower aerobic fitness. Learn more at https://www.chelincoln.org/placematters/maps.html.
“The ‘Get in the Game’ project is an inspiring example of how sports can bring together youth, parents, and neighborhoods to promote physical fitness and community connection,” states Kate Bolz, President and CEO of the Community Health Endowment, “And, it’s a lot of fun.”
