FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 25th, 2023
Contact – Emma Green
Emma.Green@illinoisbeverage.org
Oak Park Receives $125,000 Grant from American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America
U.S. Conference of Mayors and Beverage Industry Partnership Seeks to Promote Healthy Communities
(OAK PARK, IL) – The Village of Oak Park received a $125,000 grant from the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America (ABFHA). Oak Park was one of nine recipients to receive funding via the 2023 Childhood Obesity Prevention & Environmental Health and Sustainability Awards, which aims to support programs addressing childhood obesity, environmental health and sustainability by encouraging community members to engage in healthier behaviors. The village took 1st place in the “Small City” category for their commitment to address the climate crisis and achieve equity and sustainability outcomes.
“Congratulations to Oak Park and Mayor Vicki Scaman for achieving their first-place award in the small city category of the Childhood Obesity Prevention and Environmental Health and Sustainability Awards,” said Illinois Beverage Association Executive Director Rob Nash. “The Illinois Beverage Association is proud of the work our communities continue to do to promote health, wellness and environmental quality for Illinois residents.”
Oak Park and Cross Community Climate Collaborative (C4) will receive a grant to continue their work on climate action. The Cross Community Climate Collaborative (C4) is a partnership between 15 communities and several local nonprofits that have committed to work together to address the climate crisis and achieve equity and sustainability outcomes, with a specific focus on engaging and supporting Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC), and other under-resourced communities.
“Thanks to our years-long partnership with the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America, the Conference has invested in cities to innovate on their most pressing health needs. America’s cities are on the front lines of the nation’s health and environmental struggles, and mayors are rising to the challenge. We are proud to enable these kinds of local-led, community-driven solutions,” said Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director of USCM.
Since the beginning of their partnership in 2012, USCM and ABFHA have jointly awarded 68 cities across the country with 75 grants worth $5.8 million. Those awards have supported programs for enhancing health, wellness and environmental quality of life for children and families.
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About the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America
The American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America seeks to make a significant contribution to the health of local communities by providing grants to support organizations that work to advance both the physical health of their citizens and the environmental health of their communities.
About the Illinois Beverage Association
The Illinois Beverage Association is a powerful network of businesses who make and sell the most popular, innovative non-alcoholic beverages of every type in the world, strengthening the Illinois economy through job creation and tax revenue, championing environmental sustainability and building community through partnerships and contributions.