The John Rex Endowment recently announced the Wake to Wellness Grants Program to support nutrition and fitness improvements in Wake County elementary schools

Through this grants program, the Endowment will provide $450,000 to Wake County Public School System elementary schools to implement programs that help meet the requirements of school wellness policies.

These grants will be awarded through a competitive application process, and awards will be given to approximately 15 elementary schools for up to $10,000 per year for three years ($30,000 per school). Programs will begin on July 2, 2007.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention will be responsible for the administration of these grants funds. The official Request for Applications will be released on January 8, 2007. Applicants can find useful nutrition and fitness resources and frequently asked questions at theofficial Wake to Wellness webpage.

The John Rex Endowment, the N.C. Division of Public Health and the N.C. Public Health Foundation are pleased to announce the Active Community and Neighborhood Grant Program for 2007-2010

The Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch in the N.C. Division of Public Health and the N.C. Public Health Foundation will be responsible for the administration of these grant funds, provided by the John Rex Endowment. The Active Community and Neighborhood Grant Program will provide funding to five local communities in Wake County dedicated to increasing physical activity in community settings for children, youth and their families.

These grants will be awarded through a competitive application process to community groups in Wake County to support implementation of the goals and objectives of Eat Smart, Move More: North Carolina's Plan to Prevent Overweight, Obesity, and Related Chronic Disease (ESMM Five Year Plan) and the Rex Endowment Overweight Initiative. The ESMM Five Year Plan can be found at EatSmartMoveMoreNC.

The John Rex Endowment invests in the development and support of activities, programs and organizations that improve the health of underserved people in Wake and surrounding counties. One specific focus of the John Rex Endowment is the Childhood Overweight Initiative which provides funding to: Increase physical activity in school and community settings for children and youth.

A description of the eligibility requirements and the expectations of the grantees can be found in the RFA. The letter of intent is due January 5, 2007 and the grant application is due on February 8, 2007 by 5:00 PM. Please contact Cameron Graham at Cameron.graham@ncmail.net with any questions.