Empowering Youth Locally to Help Solve Problems Globally
Last summer, HSN teamed up with UNICEF USA to empower the next generation of humanitarians. Together, through a grant of $25,000 issued last June, HSN Cares is working with UNICEF USA to bring the innovative UNICEF Kid Power School program to enthusiastic middle schoolers at Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg. The program officially launched at Academy Prep in early spring 2018.
The Kid Power Schools program provides teachers with educational materials for classrooms to learn about different cultures and the issue of malnutrition. The program also equips students with a physical activity tracker—named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions in 2016—which encourages kids to get active to earn Kid Power Points which are converted to make a real difference and save lives around the world.
How it Works
Throughout the day, Kid Power Bands—using wearable fitness-tracking technology—monitor students’ steps and movements, and award points based on their activity level. Students collect points to unlock packets of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) that are used to treat children around the world who are suffering from severe, acute malnutrition.
Not only does the program enable students to help fight malnutrition around the world while increasing their own physical fitness, it also gets them to think about other things they could be doing at the local level to improve their communities.
HSN Cares—and it Shows
In addition to bringing the UNICEF Kid Power Schools program to Academy Prep, nearly 250 HSN team members took part in UNICEF Kid Power’s 30-day activity challenge last fall to help raise awareness of and help fight to end global malnutrition. In total, our combined efforts provided enough RUTF packets to treat 61 severely malnourished children around the world.
This marriage of physical activity and philanthropy is all part of HSN Care’s mission to empower women and help families in times of need. We look forward to continuing this partnership over the next three years. For more information about how you can get involved, contact schools.unicefkidpower.org
