The American Heart Association and the National Football League (NFL) have selected 136 schools nationwide to receive Kids Heart Challenge™ and American Heart Challenge™ faculty well-being and NFL PLAY 60™ grants. The announcement was made at an NFL PLAY 60 school assembly at Lawton Alternative School in San Francisco, California, ahead of Super Bowl LX.
Physical activity is vital to American students’ physical health and emotional well-being, helping them learn, concentrate and manage stress throughout the school day, yet most youth are not getting enough movement. According to the American Heart Association, only 1 in 4 children ages 6 to 11 are currently getting the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity - a statistic that more than doubles for youth ages 12 to 17.
This year marks the launch of an enhanced grant structure that includes a $350,000 annual funding pool provided by the NFL. It builds on the existing Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge school grant program established by the American Heart Association. NFL mascots - Carolina Panthers' Sir Purr, Atlanta Falcons' Freddie Falcon, Detroit Lions' Roary and Kansas City Chiefs' K.C. Wolf - were in attendance for the unveil celebration.
“Every student deserves the chance to learn, grow and feel their best throughout the school day. By expanding this grant program, we are helping schools create more moments of movement and more spaces where kids feel supported in both their physical and emotional well-being,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. “As we shape our next century of impact, the American Heart Association is proud to work alongside the NFL to ensure that students everywhere have access to opportunities that will allow them to live longer, healthier lives.”
NFL PLAY 60 grants support four key areas identified by schools and educators, including physical activity equipment, FLAG football, recess enhancements and inclusive physical education, and well-being resources.
“For two decades, NFL PLAY 60 has been committed to helping kids lead healthier, more active lives, and this year’s expanded grant program reflects that commitment in an even larger way,” said Megan Mendoza, Senior Manager of Social Responsibility, NFL. “We’re proud to work with the American Heart Association to give schools across the country the tools and resources they need to inspire movement, strengthen well‑being and ensure that every student has the opportunity to thrive.”
Rooted in science, the NFL PLAY 60 initiative helps children to develop healthy habits for a better chance of a healthy adulthood. The program encourages kids to get a minimum of 60 minutes of vigorous physical activity each day to meet the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
This season, NFL mascots are also working to inspire kids to move more to support mental and physical well-being by joining the inaugural NFL PLAY 60 Ambassador Class. The eight members of the ambassador class include Freddie Falcon, Atlanta Falcons; Gumbo, New Orleans Saints; Rampage, Los Angeles Rams; Roary, Detroit Lions; Rowdy, Dallas Cowboys; Sir Purr, Carolina Panthers; T-Rac, Tennessee Titans; and K.C. Wolf, Kansas City Chiefs.
NFL PLAY 60 grant applications are accepted year-round and another group of grant recipients will be announced in April. Information on NFL PLAY 60 resources and available grant opportunities can be found online at heart.org/NFLPLAY60.
