Washington, DC – (May 17, 2023) – Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (BGCGW) is launching a series of social media videos, starring BGCGW youth, created in partnership with regional grocery store chain Wegmans. The purpose of the effort is to help educate youth about the importance of nutrition and hydration, especially during camp season.

“This special partnership with Wegmans allows us to share important and timely information in a fun and relatable way, on accessible platforms that kids and families appreciate. We are meeting them where they are and empowering them to make better decisions,” said Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, president & CEO Gabrielle Webster. “Because of partners like Wegmans, we can extend our essential services in ways we would not be able to do without their support. Our partners are gateways to subject matter experts that meaningfully extend Club learning opportunities. Kids and families will be gaining information and skills that can be applied to everyday life.”

The videos will offer simple, healthy eating tips to encourage kids and families to make healthier choices during the busy summer months. The series of videos include topics such as how to read the nutrition facts panel on packaged foods; using the rainbow as a guide for making colorful and diverse choices when selecting fruits and vegetables; staying hydrated and learning to listen to your body’s needs.

While summer provides more options for fresh produce, processed foods remain a big part of snacks and meals for many American kids. According to the National Institutes of Health, highly processed foods account for two-thirds of the calories consumed by youth.

“We know that adopting healthy eating habits at a young age is the groundwork for prevention and has a tremendous impact on health later in life,” said Wegmans Corporate Nutritionist Kirby Branciforte, RDN. “When it comes to our youth, there is no denying the power of positive peer influence. Having the club kids participate in this project allowed an important message to be delivered to kids, by kids. This partnership was the perfect way to get that message in front of families so they can explore those easy wins for healthy eating.”

With the growing popularity of short social media videos, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington and Wegmans identified an opportunity to provide healthy nutritional information that kids can view, learn from and share. BGCGW’s video series builds on a Club platform that promotes a healthy habits program called Triple Play. The curriculum is taught in Boys & Girls Clubs across the country and is described as a game plan for the mind, body and soul. Triple Play emphasizes nutrition, regular physical activity and healthy family and social relationships as three components for well-being success.

Shawn Osborn, a Club Director at a Washington, DC Club says, “Combining physical exercise, mental health techniques and good nutrition help keep Club kids balanced. Eating healthy during the summer camp season is important and results in better behavior, better attention spans and overall better attitudes toward the day’s activities.”

The videos are available for viewing on BGCGW’s YouTube channel and will be shared throughout the month of May and June on BGCGW and Wegmans’ social media platforms.

Click HERE to watch the videos.
Click HERE for production stills from the making of the videos.
Click HERE to read more about BGCGW’s Triple Play program.

# # #

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (BGCGW) was founded in 1886 and is one of the largest affiliates of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. BGCGW is a leader in youth development, serving over 21,000 children and teens annually across Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia annually. Today’s BGCGW evolved through sponsorships from the Rotary Club of Washington before the organization merged with the Metropolitan Police Boys & Girls Clubs in 2003. With its 26 in-person Clubs, and one virtual Club, BGCGW provides low-cost afterschool and summer youth programs. These programs fill vital gaps in academic and arts enrichment, character development and healthy living. BGCGW helps boys and girls of all backgrounds and creates a positive environment where children are encouraged to set their ambitions and develop the steps for turning them into reality. With 98% of high school senior Club Kids graduating and 95% of seniors pursuing four-year college or community college degrees, BGCGW is frequently the catalyst between other community organizations, schools, parents and local government. BGCGW is committed to continuous improvement of the “Optimum Club Experience;” consistently analyzing areas for growth and improvement to ensure high-yielding impacts in the lives of our country’s youth. For more information, call 202.643.9792 or visit our website at BCGGW.org.

Media Contact: Robert Anderson | 240.729.7597 | randerson@bgcgw.org