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Nike's New National Program Urges Youth To Get Up And Go

Nike's New National Program Urges Youth To Get Up And Go

Published 12-05-02

Submitted by Nike Inc.

MEMPHIS, TN – The facts are startling:
· Kids born today are expected to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents due to inactivity and diet (Obesity Week, Feb 3, 2002: v2, #5)
· Nearly half of American youth (12-21) are not regularly active (U.S. Dept of Health & Human Services: Nat’l Center for Health Statistics)

· The percentage of overweight children in the U.S. has doubled since 1980, corresponding to a decrease in physical activity. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nat’l Center for Health Statistics)

School funding cuts. Lack of physical education programs. Inattentive parenting. Computer games. The Internet. These are just a few of the factors supporting the unfortunate trend that kids are not involved in enough physical activity to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

To help change the dynamic, today Nike is launching a new grassroots community affairs program called NikeGO. Its mission is to increase physical activity in youth by offering thousands of children ages 9-15 the motivation to discover the joy of movement and the fun of physical activity.

Soccer star Mia Hamm and Nike hosted the national debut of the program Thursday, Dec. 5, 2003, at the Porter Boys & Girls Club of Memphis. As part of NikeGO’s After School program, all six Boys & Girls Clubs in Memphis will benefit from a grant to fund a new coed soccer league.

NikeGO programs aim at the heart of serious lifestyle issues that are leading to significantly increased obesity, diabetes and eating disorders among youth from all communities across the country. Increasing physical activity is the goal.

“Our message with NikeGO is simple,” says Gary DeStefano, Nike President of USA Operations. “Life can be so much better when we put our bodies in motion. For young people this is especially true. Establishing a pattern of physical exercise now can only help them as they grow older.”

According to Molly White, Director of Nike U.S. Community Affairs, “NikeGO is a long-term program to get kids more physically active, so that they are healthier, happier and more successful as teens and adults. We look forward to working with many other partners across the U.S. in creating what we hope will eventually become a social movement to increase physical activity.”

Because of their love and dedication to physical activity, international track and field athlete Marion Jones and New York Yankee star Jason Giambi, have been named co-chairs of NikeGO.

In 2002, its pilot year, NikeGO has launched three major initiatives:

1-The After School Program - A partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. For 2002/2003, 30 NikeGO grants each worth $50,000 in cash and equipment have been awarded to Boys & Girls Clubs of America in 14 American cities and communities. The NikeGO grant selection is based on youth-driven programs – by kids, for kids – that involve increasing physically active participation of club members and other youth served. The successful grants are designed to show measurable results, and above all, promote a fun, on-going environment that spurs young people into physical activity.

2-The NikeGO Fund – An ongoing commitment to install, upgrade and refurbish courts and facilities throughout the U.S. through the new NikeGO Fund. To launch the NikeGO Fund and as part of the company’s 30th anniversary commemoration in 2002, Nike recently awarded Portland, Oregon, a $2 million gift to refurbish 90 courts in 35 metropolitan-area parks, using Nike Grind, a surface created from recycled athletic footwear.

3-The NikeGO Girls Program - Aimed at encouraging activity for girls age 9-15. The program launches with a one-time Holiday E-Greeting matching grant, up to $100,000, supported by NikeGoddess.com.

For more information, visit www.nikego.com.

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Nike Inc.

Nike Inc.

NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned NIKE subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories and Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes surf and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.nikeinc.com.

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