The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation has awarded two $10,000 New Horizons grants to Baton Rouge-area organizations for innovation projects.
LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center will study the effectiveness of playground stenciling, and its impact on student health and children’s physical activity. Stencils are a low-cost approach to encouraging exercise for kids at schools, and other institutions, that don’t have the dollars to expand playgrounds, or purchase large physical activity equipment.
“One in two children in Louisiana is considered overweight or obese, creating the need for creative solutions to improve the health of our children—our state’s future workforce,” said Dr. Maura Kepper, a postdoctoral researcher at Pennington Biomedical, who is overseeing the stenciling research.
The Center for Planning Excellence (CPEX) will develop a pilot process and toolkit for implementing the Complete Streets policy in a target district within North Baton Rouge. Complete Streets policies encourage streets to be designed to accommodate all users, supporting active transportation choices, and enabling safe access regardless of age, ability, or mode of transportation.
“CPEX is pleased to be working in partnership with AARP, the City of Baton Rouge, Capital Area Transit System, EBR Planning Commission, and the Sustainable Transportation Action Committee to demonstrate how a data-driven process involving coordination among public agencies, and informed by stakeholder engagement, can ensure equitable Complete Streets implementation, and a positive impact on public health,” said Rachel DiResto, CPEX Executive Vice President.
“This set of awards includes the kind of innovative thinking that, if successful, could grow to have an extraordinary impact on our state,” said Michael Tipton, Blue Cross Foundation president.
“Our goal with New Horizons grants to is let Louisiana organizations test completely new approaches to solving persistent issues,” he added. “Very few funders are offering that kind of support, currently.”
The Blue Cross Foundation also announced two other grant awards across the state. They include an $80,000 grant to Hope for Opelousas, to expand tutoring services; and a $100,000 grant to the Health and Education Alliance of Louisiana, to grow a school-based healthcare program.
More information about the Blue Cross Foundation grant programs is available at www.bcbslafoundation.org .To learn more about Pennington, visit www.pbrc.edu. To learn more about CPEX, visit www.cpex.org.