1,000 kids will receive Nike gift cards
|This is a press release from UnitedHealthcare
JACKSON, Miss. - UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Mississippi today launched Kicks for Kids, which will offer kids ages 6-16 Nike gift cards for completing their wellness exams by the end of the year.
Kicks for Kids, announced today at a news conference at Kirksey Middle School in Jackson, will give up to 1,000 CHIP members throughout Mississippi $70 gift cards toward the purchase of a new pair of Nike gym shoes as a reward for staying on top of their doctor visits. Kicks for Kids encourages children to get their wellness exams and helps make quality footwear more affordable so that they can stay active in sports and other physical activities.
“With Kicks for Kids, UnitedHealthcare is giving local youth the resources they need to get out there and be active,” said Jocelyn Carter, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Mississippi. “We recognize that having the proper footwear is necessary for kids to participate in school sports and other activities, and we want to do what we can to make gym shoes more affordable for them.”
The Nike gift cards may be used in-store or online and will be mailed to students four to six weeks from the date of their wellness visit. Visits must be completed before Dec. 31, 2016, to be eligible. The first 1,000 CHIP members to complete their well-visits will earn the gift card.
Childhood wellness, particularly childhood obesity, continues to be a serious issue in Mississippi, with the state ranked 50th in the nation for children’s health, according to the 2016 America’s Health Rankings Health of Women and Children Report. Not only does the Kicks for Kids program aim to address childhood obesity by getting kids more active, it encourages parents and kids to stay on top of wellness visits – which ultimately promotes early detection of health risks and conditions.
“I admire and support this important incentive program UnitedHealthcare is launching for its members,” said Beneta Burt, president of the Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees. “Providing the proper footwear goes a long way in terms of getting kids engaged in physical activities – and helping them attain healthier lifestyles.”
