In the past 12 years, the Kohl's Hoo's Fit program has donated over $650,000 to UVA Children's. These donations go toward health education aimed at helping kids understand what it means to be healthy.
HEAL: Learning Healthy Habits
Healthy Eating & Active Living (HEAL) is a Kohl’s Cares initiative. It's a partnership between the UVA Children's Fitness Clinic, the UVA Medical School, and the Albemarle County Extended Day Care Program.
In the HEAL program, UVA medical students teach elementary school students about healthy nutrition and lifestyle habits. These habits help the students to maintain a strong body and mind.
Dance for Fitness
The Go Girls & Guys! Community program is a six-week course that meets in after-school and community centers. The program:
- Meets once a week
- Is free
- Is for children aged 5-21 years
The children do 30 minutes of Zumba, followed by wellness education discussions. The program aims to improve physical activity in kids. The goal is to:
- Make fitness more fun
- Help kids understand how exercise lowers the risk of disease
Fitness for Kids with Autism
The Exceptional Kids’ Club is a free fitness program for children with autism spectrum disorder. It is a partnership between the UVA Children’s Fitness Clinic and the Kinesiology program at the UVA Curry School of Education.
UVA graduate students volunteer and work one-on-one with kids. They focus on their overall fitness and skill development. UVA professionals also lead parents in wellness education discussions about topics like nutrition, exercise, and autism spectrum disorders.
Thanks to the generous support of Kohl's, teaching tools for the children are included in the program that help to promote enthusiasm as well as knowledge about nutrition and exercise.