The grants were awarded to programs that work with at-risk youth and that encourage physical activity, teach nutrition and healthy diet, and help to develop professional skills and work ethic Youth will be coaches, referees, instructors and mentors in a wide range of sports, dance and fitness classes. Youth will be taught nutrition and healthy diet through programs such as farming, culinary training, food preparation, fitness challenges and educational sessions. In order to develop professional skills and work ethic, workshops and seminars regarding career topics such as resume writing, leadership, public speaking, and interview skills will be offered.
The grant funding stems from a series of settlements obtained by the Attorney General's Office against pharmaceutical companies Merck Vioxx, Eli Lilly, and Pfizer. Those settlements require the funds to be spent on programs that promote health.
The following organizations were awarded grant funding:
- West End Boys and Girls Club (Allston, MA)
- Catholic Charities Teen Center at St. Peter's (Dorchester, MA)
- Bird Street Community Center (Dorchester, MA)
- Hyde Square Task Force (Jamaica Plain, MA)
- Bikes Not Bombs (Jamaica Plain, MA)
- ROCA (Chelsea, MA)
- City of Everett
- LUK Inc. (Fitchburg, MA)
- Greater Fall River Re-creation Committee (Fall River, MA)
- City of New Bedford
- Boys and Girls Club Holyoke (Holyoke, MA)
- Worcester Public Schools (Worcester, MA)
- Haverhill Community Violence Prevention Center (Haverhill, MA)
- United Teen Equality Center (Lowell, MA)
- Methuen Arlington Neighborhood, Inc. (Methuen, MA)
- Caring Health Center (Springfield, MA)