UNICEF

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In early October, the City of Sacramento and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF teamed up with the Sacramento Kings to announce the launch of a new pilot program, UNICEF Kid Power.

The month-long initiative’s goal was to leverage the power of technology and philanthropy to educate and promote student fitness in the Sacramento region.

Results of the test were recently announced in a blog on Mashable’s website.

“The pilot program's results showed that those kids who participated were 55% more active than those who did not, and they earned enough points to feed 473 severely malnourished children,” stated Matt Petronzio in his recap of the program.

Prior to the pilot program in Sacramento, Mayor Kevin Johnson spoke about the importance of healthy and active lifestyles in today’s youth.

“Making sure our children are active and healthy is vital to their success in school and beyond,” said Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson. “As the program’s pilot city, Sacramento is proud to have the opportunity to work with the Kings and UNICEF to actively engage our schools and our students in this innovative program combining personal fitness goals and giving back to those in need. We hope this program will set a precedent for schools across the country to follow.”

To read more about the program and the next cities the program is set to make its debut, check out the following link:

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Kings, UNICEF Kid Power Pilot Program Recap

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Kings Chairman Vivek Ranadivé, legend Vlade Divac, Senior Director of Basketball Operations for NBA India Carlos Barroca and more visited the Nutrition Rehabilitation Ward at the department of Pediatrics LTMC Medical College Sion Hospital in Mumbai, India.

The Sacramento Kings are a partner of UNICEF Kid Power – a revolutionary new program where as American kids hit their daily activity goals it triggers a donation of RUTF (Ready To Use Therapeutic Food) to severely malnourished children around the world.

Carlos Barroca, Senior Director of Basketball Operations for NBA India has fun with patients at the UNICEF supported Nutrition Rehabilitation Center in Mumbai, India. This visit was organized in partnership with UNICEF, the Sacramento Kings and NBA India.

A family gives a wonderful welcome to the Sacramento Kings and NBA India during a visit on Dec. 3 at the UNICEF supported Sion hospital in Mumbai, India. The Kings and NBA visited with hospital staff and then to the Nutrition Rehabilitation Ward. 

Sacramento Kings President Chris Granger, U.S. Fund for UNICEF staffer Matt Meyersohn, Kings Senior Director of Communications Laura Braden and NBA India Senior Director of Basketball Operations all taste a sample of RUTF during a visit to see the production unit at the UNICEF supported Nutrition Rehabilitation Center in Mumbai, India. 

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Kings Make Difference in India

Sacramento, Calif. – Today, the Sacramento Kings, the City of Sacramento and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF announced the conclusion and results of the UNICEF Kid Power pilot program. Launched on October 6, the month-long pilot program leveraged the power of technology and philanthropy to educate and promote student fitness in the Sacramento region, while helping UNICEF deliver therapeutic food to severely malnourished children around the world.

After four weeks of active engagement in Sacramento schools, the pilot program resulted in enough therapeutic food to help nearly 500 severely malnourished children receive a full course of lifesaving treatment. The results and trial of the pilot in Sacramento serves as a model for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to implement Kid Power across the country to get kids active to save thousands of lives across the globe.

“I believe it’s really important for kids to learn at a young age to be healthy, and understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle. In addition to a healthy lifestyle, it’s also important for them to learn the value of service and giving back, which are both uniquely captured in this program,” said Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson. “Through its trial run in Sacramento, the ‘Kid Power’ program had a momentous impact on students, teachers and administrators, and we hope this will set the standard for other communities across the country.”

Throughout October, the innovative UNICEF Kid Power program engaged nearly 900 Sacramento-area students, teachers and teaching assistants at six different Sacramento-region schools to test the potential of the UNICEF Kid Power program on physical activity and education of global issues. Students earned Kid Power Points by engaging in physical activities such as walking, running, and playing outdoor games, and their activity was monitored by a Kid Power wristband that counted the numbers of steps taken and the amount of time active. Each Kid Power Point earned converted to one packet of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food, a protein-rich peanut paste packed with vitamins and minerals that is used to save the lives of children with severe acute malnutrition, a deadly condition if left untreated. UNICEF is the world’s largest purchaser and distributor of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food.

During its run in Sacramento, UNICEF Kid Power Pilot highlights include:

“We are thrilled to see that through this innovative program, Sacramento students and teachers were able to experience the benefits of healthy living and recognize the importance of giving back,” said Kings President Chris Granger. “Education and awareness are key to long-term change, and together with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and the City of Sacramento, we are committed to being a part of that positive change for not only Sacramento, but for the entire global community.” 

“In this Thanksgiving season, it’s great to see Sacramento’s children taking action on behalf of the children of the world. We’re excited to see that the Kid Power program was successful. Thanks to these Sacramento participants, more children’s lives will be saved,” said U.S. Fund for UNICEF President and CEO Caryl M. Stern. “We’re looking to replicate this program in cities across the country and are grateful to the City of Sacramento, the Kings, and all the teachers, students and parents who got involved in helping malnourished children get the treatment they need to survive and thrive.”

Throughout the program, the Sacramento Kings provided incentives to encourage kids to stay active, including:

For more information, please visit www.unicefkidpower.org.

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Sacramento Kings, Mayor Kevin Johnson and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF Announce Results of the ‘Kid Power’ Pilot Program

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Kings Tip-Off 'Kid Power' Program

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Sacramento, Calif. – Today, the City of Sacramento and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF teamed up with the Sacramento Kings to announce the launch of a new pilot program, UNICEF Kid Power. The month-long initiative will leverage the power of technology and philanthropy to educate and promote student fitness in the Sacramento region, while helping UNICEF deliver therapeutic food to severely malnourished children around the world.

UNICEF Kid Power will engage six local schools and 850 Sacramento-area students and their teachers to test, measure and analyze this innovative approach to physical activity and education on global issues.

Through Kid Power, students will earn Kid Power Points by engaging in physical activities such as walking, running, and playing outdoor games. Their activity will be monitored by a Kid Power wristband that displays the number of steps taken, amount of time active and number of points earned towards a goal of five points per day. Program sponsors such as the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF will convert students’ points into monetary donations to help UNICEF procure and deliver therapeutic food to malnourished kids worldwide. Each Kid Power Point earned will convert to one packet of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food, a miracle peanut paste that is used to save the lives of children with severe acute malnutrition, a deadly condition if left untreated.

“Making sure our children are active and healthy is vital to their success in school and beyond,” said Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson. “As the program���s pilot city, Sacramento is proud to have the opportunity to work with the Kings and UNICEF to actively engage our schools and our students in this innovative program combining personal fitness goals and giving back to those in need. We hope this program will set a precedent for schools across the country to follow.”

“This program is an amazing way to not only encourage active and healthy lifestyles, but more importantly, to engage our teachers and students in fighting the global malnutrition crisis,” said Kings President Chris Granger. “With its positive impact on both our local community and on children across the globe, this initiative really speaks to what Vivek’s NBA 3.0 philosophy is all about.”

“One in four kids worldwide is malnourished, which means they are more likely to get sick from ordinary infections and their brain development can suffer. If left untreated, the condition can be deadly,” said U.S. Fund for UNICEF CEO and President Caryl M. Stern. “The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is proud to work with Mayor Johnson, the Sacramento Kings and the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF to empower kids in Sacramento to save the lives of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition worldwide.“

The 30-day Kid Power pilot program will kick off October 6, with the Sacramento Kings providing rewards to encourage kids to stay active, including:

For a full list of incentives, please visit www.unicefkidpower.org

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Sacramento Kings, Mayor Kevin Johnson and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF Launch ‘Kid Power’ Pilot Program

Game Night Live with Vlade Divac and Linda Nagle

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Kings Rocket Department

SACRAMENTO, CA –Today, the Sacramento Kings have announced a new fundraising and awareness initiative with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF in an effort to assist the organization’s mission to help children survive and thrive around the world. Former Kings great and global humanitarian, Vlade Divac, will serve as a spokesperson for the initiative.

President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, Caryl Stern, will be on hand at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento for today’s game between the Kings and the Chicago Bulls and will discuss the partnership that will help raise awareness and funds to provide children with clean water and adequate sanitation. Approximately 1,600 children die each day from diseases that are a result of unsafe drinking water, lack of sanitation and poor hygiene. Currently, UNICEF works in more than 100 countries around the world to improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities in schools and communities and to promote safe hygiene practices.

“We are excited to be teaming up with the Sacramento Kings to help provide children with safe, clean drinking water,” said Stern. “While great progress has been made, nearly 768 million people are still without access to clean water and 2.5 billion lack improved sanitation facilities. The Kings have a unique ability to make a powerful call to action amongst their fans that can truly make a difference for children.”

Divac, who played for the Kings from 1998 – 2004 and has his number retired with the club, was consistently recognized by his peers throughout his career for his dedication to humanitarian efforts.

“As athletes and pro sports franchises, we have the responsibility to use our platform to affect positive change in the community,” said Divac. “I take it seriously. Vivek takes it seriously. The whole Kings organization lives that. I look forward to working with the Kings and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF on this clean water initiative to get help where it is sorely needed.”

UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to save and improve children’s lives, providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF’s work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States. In their own market, and consistent with the Kings 3.0 philosophy, the Kings work with organizations in the fields of education, health care and volunteerism, among many other causes.

“UNICEF sets the gold standard in international philanthropy and corporate citizenship", said Chris Granger, President and COO of the Kings. "This initiative typifies our Kings 3.0 narrative. As a professional sports franchise, it is our obligation to utilize what we have to affect positive change in communities. We look forward to working with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and other globally minded organizations."