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Kohl's donates $188K to Akron Children's Hospital
By Sean Barron
YOUNGSTOWN
Kohl’s department store has donated $188,568 to Akron Children’s Hospital to support its efforts toward fighting childhood obesity and promoting the importance of physical activity and a healthful diet.
The Kohl’s Fit and Healthy Kids program is a childhood-obesity prevention and awareness effort to increase physical activity as well as knowledge about nutrition and portion sizes, noted Annie Sofran, the hospital’s senior public-relations specialist.
“[Childhood] obesity is of epidemic proportions, not only in Ohio, but in our nation,” Bernett L. Williams said during Thursday’s check-presentation ceremony at the Southside Academic Charter School, 1400 Oak Hill Ave., on the South Side.
Williams, ACH’s vice president of external affairs, said the funds will allow the hospital to expand its reach to a greater number of Mahoning Valley schools regarding promoting fitness initiatives.
Some schools facing funding shortages cut gym classes and recess, Williams said, while citing one factor that has contributed to the obesity problem. Other reasons many children are overweight are because they lead a sedentary lifestyle and eat large quantities of processed and fast foods instead of more-nutritious ones such as fresh fruits and vegetables, she continued.
During the gathering, Megan Palmer, ACH’s youth fitness specialist, introduced a 10-week fitness program to about 60 students in grades three to six.