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The United Way of the National Capital Area kicked off a campaign addressing child wellness and obesity Tuesday at a Capitol Heights-based nonprofit organization.
The United Way of the National Capital Area held its "Creating Healthier Futures for Children" campaign celebration at the United Communities Against Poverty in Capitol Heights. The UWNCA serves Prince George's County as well as Washington, D.C., Montgomery County and northern Virginia.
Debbi Jarvis, the UWNCA campaign chairwoman, said child obesity is a "national epidemic" and in the Washington, D.C. area, one out of every five children will be obese by the year 2010. Jarvis said unhealthy lifestyles during youth can lead to heart disease and type 2 diabetes in adulthood.
"This is an alarming trend," Jarvis said. "We have to make moves now to curb that momentum."
The campaign is meant to encourage residents to volunteer or give to the United Way so money can go into funding new or existing local programs which promote childhood wellness and combat childhood obesity.
Gwendolyn Ferguson, UCAP interim president and CEO, said her organization is a participating member agency of UWNCA and was selected to hold the event because of its existing child care programs. Ferguson worked for the UWNCA Washington, D.C., and Prince George's County offices for 18 years before joining UCAP four years ago.
"It's a wonderful opportunity to partner with the United Way to partner with some of the other nonprofits in the area," Ferguson said.
Ferguson said UCAP offers free child care for children ages 6 months through 5 and free tutoring services for children ages 5 through 12 to the women staying in their women and children's shelter, Shepherd's Cove.
Ferguson said teachers from Elizabeth Seton High School, a private Catholic all-girls school in Bladensburg, and Robert R. Gray Elementary on Addison Road—three-tenths of a mile from UCAP headquarters on Doewood Lane—tutor children after school. Ferguson said there are about 75 children in child care and 50 in after-school tutoring.
Nonprofit groups such as D.C. Food Kitchen and A Wider Circle set up information tables around the auditorium for residents interested in community service in the area. Additionally, the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington's Physical, Healthy and Driven program received a $25,000 check from the UWNCA. That program provides youth with weight management and nutrition education.
Sherryl Hatcher, outreach director for Court Appointed Special Advocates, Prince George's County, said United Way invited her group to the event. Searching for volunteers to be advocates for children and develop relationships with case workers and families, Hatcher said child wellness is a big concern because children in foster care are often susceptible to teen pregnancy and drug abuse.
"I think this is a fantastic forum to help people learn what resources are out there and what ways they can help," Hatcher said.
Ferguson said UCAP currently has no plans to start a program to directly deal with childhood obesity. However, since 2007 UCAP has held a free six-week long summer camp in conjunction with Camp Fire USA from July through mid-August where youth learn about proper nutrition, physical fitness and avoiding substance abuse.
E-mail Natalie McGill at nmcgill@gazette.net.
