“BlueAngel” grants $35,000 to extend HBHM’s 5-2-1-0 anti-obesity effort

Among $218,000 in prestigious Blue Cross & Blue Shield community grants made this year

In its recent round of prestigious  BlueAngel Community Health Grants (BACHG), Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) granted $35,000 to Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds to continue our 5-2-1-0 Childhood Obesity Prevention efforts.

“Thanks to BlueAngel support,” we should reach more than 6,000 children attending 16 early care and education sites and 21 elementary schools across South County,” notes Susan Orban, Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds Director.

Cindy Buxton, the project’s coordinator, “5-2-1-0 is a simple equation for a healthy lifestyle that helps children reach and keep an appropriate weight. 5-2-1-0 stands for enjoying each day with:

  • 5 servings of fruits and vegetables
  • 2 hours or fewer of recreational screen time (TV, computer, video games or smartphones)
  • 1 hour of physical activity, and
  • 0 sugary drinks.”

The grant to HBHM was among $218,000 in BACHG funding for 2019. Since the BlueAngel Community Health Grants began in 2002, BCBSRI has donated more than $3.8 million to local nonprofits. For the past five years, BACHG funding has focused on Rhode Island organizations promoting good nutrition, physical activity and healthy weight for children and their families.