AUSTIN, Texas – Marathon Kids, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, today announced a generous donation from the Fort Bend Medical Society Alliance for the 2018-19 school year. Marathon Kids is funded primarily by corporate and private sponsors to help communities all over the United States create running clubs for kids.
The total amount of funding – $4,665 – will be used for Marathon Kids runners in Fort Bend County for the 2018-19 school year. Marathon Kids will provide training to coaches who receive funding.
“Nomita Bajwa, president of the Fort Bend Medical Society Alliance, and Stephanie Kellam, United HealthCare student wellness coordinator at Fort Bend ISD, are both Marathon Kids Ambassadors that attended our Leadership Academy last year,” said Marathon Kids Director of Training & Education Nurrie Wilson. “They and others in the school system have been instrumental in ensuring the students of Fort Bend County receive opportunities to improve their health.”
“The Fort Bend Medical Society Alliance is honored to contribute to a program that benefits kids in so many ways,” said Bajwa. “Research shows that children improve their self-esteem, are more focused in school, and better manage stress with regular physical activity. We support their mission to help kids live healthier lives.”
Fort Bend County is a county southwest of Houston, Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 585,375, making it the 10th most populous county in Texas. A rapidly growing area, Fort Bend ISD and Lamar CISD numbers one and three on the list of Houston area schools with the most development.
ABOUT MARATHON KIDS
Marathon Kids’ mission is to show kids that through running, they can achieve more than they ever thought possible, and put them on the path to healthier lives. The nonprofit organization empowers teachers, parents, and coaches to start a Marathon Kids running club in their home, school, out-of-school time organization, or camp.
Kids enrolled in the program work at their own pace to run, or walk, the equivalent mileage of up to four marathons (104.8 miles) over the course of the running club season. Marathon Kids provides the training, rewards, tools, and resources to a local network of dedicated, motivated, and inspiring coaches supporting them every step of the way.
Corporate partners and supporters include Nike, HEB, St. David’s Foundation, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, LA Dodgers Foundation, Active Schools, MedSpring, Austin Runner’s Club, Tejas Trails, and Athletes for Hope.
For more information, please visit marathonkids.org.
ABOUT FORT BEND MEDICAL SOCIETY ALLIANCE
FBMSA is a service organization whose members are physician spouses living in Fort Bend County. They sponsor WATCH, a healthy lifestyle program for children, and previously sponsored the WATCH your Wellness Health Fairs. They approved the Marathon Kids grant as a way of bringing awareness and activity to all schools in the area. They would like to thank the partnership with United Healthcare, FBISD, Wellness Geeks Consultants as well as the University of Houston, College of Nursing for making this Marathon Kids training accessible to schools in the area at the WELLCON 2018 conference.
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PICTURED ABOVE: (Left to right) Hiral Pancholy, Nomita Bajwa, Vijay Bhuchar, Madhu Wadera. Not pictured: Sonal Bhuchar, Soha Haque, and Rachel Varghese.