Skip to Content

NB3 Foundation Receives $2.4 million Grant from Kellogg Foundation for Native Childhood Obesity Prevention

 

hero_image===
thumbnail===https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/voicesactioncenter/pages/13526/attachments/original/1475167361/NB3-LOGO.png?1475167361

By our friends at the Notah Begay III Foundation

The NB3 Foundation today announced it has been awarded a three year $2.4 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to support Native childhood obesity prevention in the Southwest.   

Specifically, this grant will support Native communities in their efforts to eliminate the consumption of sugary sweetened beverages among Native children 0-8 and increase the consumption of safe drinking water.   

“Today, Native children are drinking more sugary beverages than ever before contributing to diet-related diseases, including obesity and diabetes.  Sugar-sweetened beverages are now the largest source of added sugar in the diets of our nation’s youth and the leading single source of empty calories in their diet,” said Justin Huenemann, President and CEO of the NB3 Foundation. “The good news is this consumption can be controlled by parents, grandparents, big brother and sisters, relatives, and caregivers. It is up to us to care for our children.”  

Over 30 months, this initiative will bring together Native leaders, community members, youth and stakeholders in Native early childhood health to help guide, implement, and evaluate project outcomes and learning’s. 

“We are thrilled to work with and support Native communities to eliminate sugary beverage consumption among our youngest children and strengthen healthy habits in the earliest years,” said Olivia Roanhorse, Director of the Native Strong Program. “This is an important new initiative for us.  But more importantly, this is an issue that we must address in our homes and families for the future benefit of our children.” 

Selected groups will receive grants, technical assistance and training, and will participate in a peer learning cohort. The cohort will build a learning/action network designed to support successful approaches that will have potential for adaptation in other communities. 

The time is now to help Native kids live healthy!  

“The challenges facing many young Native Americans are great, but few are more fundamental than health problems which have their root cause in poor nutrition and lack of physical activity,” said Notah Begay III, founder of the NB3 Foundation. “This grant by W.K. Kellogg Foundation is an important pronouncement and recognition of these issues.”