K.I.D.S., Stride Rite Aid Children’s Health Program

New York State’s First Lady Michelle Paige Patterson launched her anti-obesity program Healthy Steps to Albany program to encourage kids to become active, and K.I.D.S. and Stride Rite Children’s Group recently got in on the act, donating 400 pairs of athletic shoes to keep them exercising. The First Lady’s Healthy Steps to Albany program challenged nearly 270 classrooms of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to log their minutes of activity in teams. Each team tracked its progress on a map of New York, making its way around the state. The students walked the equivalent of more than 1.4 billion steps in just six weeks.

“It is so important to encourage efforts that help children grow to be healthy and productive, and that’s why K.I.D.S. is supporting Healthy Steps to Albany” said K.I.D.S. president Janice Weinman. She noted Stride Rite has been a long-time partner of K.I.D.S. In 2008 alone, the company donated 40,000 new pairs of shoes to the charity’s national network of community agencies, who in turn deliver them to those in need. “We believe in providing children great-fitting, quality footwear that supplies the proper support they need for their everyday activities” commented Pam Salkovitz, president of Stride Rite Children’s Group. Visit www.kidsdonations.org and www.striderite.com.

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