Making Kane County Fit for Kids (Fit for Kids) promotes healthy eating and active living initiatives to reduce Childhood Obesity in Kane County. Across Kane County, 44% of 5-17 year olds are overweight or obese, at risk for diabetes, heart failure, and other chronic diseases that could shorten their lives (Data Source: Kane County’s 2014 Community Health Assessment). Fit for Kids provides grants to community partners for implementation projects that make long lasting positive health improvements in Kane County.
Support from the Dunham Fund will allow Fit for Kids to provide tower gardens and stationary bikes to schools across the Dunham Fund service area. A tower garden is an innovative, portable, vertical garden that grows food using aeroponic technology which is similar to hydroponics but harnesses the air in a way that is unique to its vertical structure. Tower gardens are the latest tool to combine good nutrition with innovative education for students of all ages. These tower gardens and stationary bikes will allow schools to enhance the physical, social and emotional wellbeing of students in the Dunham Fund service area.