About Us

Who we are

Action for Healthy Kids® is the nation’s leading nonprofit and largest volunteer network fighting childhood obesity and undernourishment by helping schools become healthier places so our kids can learn to eat right, are active every day and ready to learn. Nationwide, the school-based, grassroots efforts of our 20,000+ volunteers are supported by a collaboration of more than 70 organizations, corporations and government agencies. In the 2009-10 school year, Action for Healthy Kids’ volunteers and programs reached 4.5 million students in 9,200 schools. 

Our vision

All kids develop the lifelong habits necessary to promote health and learning.

Our mission

To engage diverse organizations, leaders and volunteers in actions that foster sound nutrition and good physical activity in children, youth and schools.

Our strategic goals

During 2009-2012, we will work with 25,000 schools and 10 million children to help them adopt strong wellness policies and programs that teach kids about eating healthy and being active every day. Our efforts will focus on collaborating with schools that lack facilities, resources and expertise to provide students with opportunities to eat right and be active at school so they are ready to learn.

Our history

Created in 2002, Action for Healthy Kids was a response to then-U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher’s public call to action to work with schools to fight the national epidemic of childhood obesity.  At its founding, Action for Healthy Kids was a small and diverse group of national associations, organizations and individuals in the areas of nutrition, fitness, health and education committed to creating healthy learning environments for kids.

In only eight years, Action for Healthy Kids and organizations with a shared mission have turned the spotlight on the childhood obesity crisis so it’s now widely acknowledged by health and public health professionals, government leaders, school systems and the popular media – galvanizing invaluable support from a wide range of constituencies.

Action for Healthy Kids is today a leader in this national movement working at the federal and state levels and in school districts and school buildings nationwide.

Our accomplishments

Our belief is simple: Healthy kids learn better.

• During the 2009-10 school year, Action for Healthy Kids reached 4.5 million kids in 9,200 schools nationwide.
• Ranks of volunteers has grown from fewer than 700 in 2002 to more than 20,000 (and still growing) in 2011.
• A powerful partner network of more than 70 national organizations and associations representing leaders in health, education, nutrition, fitness, business, government agencies and other organizations that serve and care about youth.
• We continue to develop and refine a portfolio of programs and services to meet the growing need. These range from nutrition and physical activity programs for before, during and after school to expert coaching on how to develop, implement and evaluate a school wellness policy or action plan.