Community initiative in Elkhart County gives bikes to kids to encourage healthy lifestyles
Organizers say the new bicycles were given out in hopes of promoting physical activity in benefit of children's health as part of the Healthy Hearts program which is taught amongst students in 4th through 6th grades in several Elkhart County schools.
“We thought NIHHC would be a great fit as a recipient, with their focus on children and families and health through programs like Healthy Hearts,” said Jill Yoder, Director of Community Engagement and Volunteerism at Crossroads United Way.
The Healthy Hearts program teaches about the heart and the importance of healthy food choices and physical activity, and as an incentive for their participation, returning assignments, and discussing the topics they learn in class with their families, the students receive “Healthy Bucks,” which they can use at the end of the program to “purchase” or claim prizes.
Students from Pinewood Elementary School and Roosevelt STEAM Academy were lucky enough to have new bikes as part of the prizes available.
Cummins Inc team members came together for a bike build day with Crossroads United Way, making 80 children’s bikes for the community.
“We had such a fun day building bikes!” said Veronica Martin, Cummins’ Custom Order Management Specialist, who helped coordinate the bike build. “Our goal was to distribute these bikes to children who might not be able to get a bike due to financial barriers, while also promoting an active lifestyle.”