Magic & Wholesome Tummies Help Address Childhood Obesity

Florida Hospital, Orlando Magic and Wholesome Tummies Team Up to Put a Slam Dunk on Childhood Obesity

Free lunch program will expose kids to healthier food choices

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 4, 2010 - Orlando Magic Community Ambassador Bo Outlaw and STUFF donned chef hats and aprons to compete in a one-of-a-kind cooking demonstration to kick-off the Be Healthy lunch program. Florida Hospital, Orlando Magic and Wholesome Tummies have joined forces to create a unique program that will provide free lunch to one deserving elementary school class in Central Florida. The Be Healthy lunch program was "cooked-up" to help kids eat healthier and learn about the importance of good nutrition.

"Obesity is a growing epidemic in our community," said Tim Burrill, assistant administrator at Florida Hospital for Children. "Obesity can cause all kinds of medical complications and it is so important to educate our children about how to live healthy lives."

The rising consumption of unhealthy foods has helped contribute to the increase in obesity. That's why the three organizations teamed up to attack obesity together.  

"Getting involved with the community is so important for us," said Bo Outlaw, Orlando Magic community ambassador. "This is a great opportunity to teach kids at an early age that healthy foods can taste great and be nutritious. Part of living a healthy life is eating right and this is just one small step towards helping our community get healthier. Along with other programs, such as NBA FIT WEEK, hopefully we can encourage everyone in the local community to be active and live a healthy lifestyle."

The free lunch will be delivered daily to one elementary school class starting at the end of the month until the end of the school year. The lunch will be prepared fresh everyday by Wholesome Tummies using only pure and wholesome ingredients. The lunches will be made with organic and all-natural ingredients, without trans-fats, high fructose corn syrup, nitrates and artificial colors and flavors.

"I think the kids will be really surprised at how much they enjoy more nutritious foods." said Samantha Gotlib, co-founder of Wholesome Tummies. "We try to make healthy food as delicious as possible so we make things kids love; we just put a healthy twist on it. If we can change a child's eating habits while they are young, it will set them up for a healthier lifestyle.

Teachers can apply to win the free, healthy lunch for their class beginning on Jan. 4 at www.healthy100.org, www.orlandomagic.com or www.wholesometummies.com. Applications are due by Jan. 19^th. For more information on the program, please contact Florida Hospital Community Relations at FH.CR@flhosp.org. The Be Healthy lunch program is a pilot and is only being offered to private elementary schools in Orange and Seminole counties.

For media inquiries only, please contact Florida Hospital Media Relations at 407-303-8217.

Florida Hospital

Florida Hospital is on a journey to encourage healthy behavior and inspire the community to live healthier, longer lives. The Be Healthy lunch program is a pilot program associated with Florida Hospital's Healthy 100 initiative.

Opened in 1908, Florida Hospital is one of the largest not-for-profit hospitals in the country, caring for more than a million patient visits per year - that's more than any other hospital in the country, according to the American Hospital Association.  The more than 2,000-bed system, comprised of eight hospitals and 19 Centra Care locations, has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best hospitals in the country for the past 10 years. 

Orlando Magic

Orlando's NBA franchise since 1989, the Magic's mission is to be world champions on and off the court, delivering legendary moments every step of the way. On the court, Orlando has won four division championships (1995, 1996, 2008, 2009), had five 50-plus win seasons, and won the Eastern Conference title in 1995 and 2009. Off the court, on an annual basis the Orlando Magic gives more than $2 million to the local community by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise, scholarships and grants. Orlando Magic community relations programs impact an estimated 75,000 kids each year, while a Magic staff-wide initiative provides more than 5,000 volunteer hours annually. In addition, over the last 20 years nearly $15 million has been distributed to local non-profit community organizations via the Orlando Magic Youth Fund (OMYF), a fund of the McCormick Foundation since 1994, which serves at risk and disadvantaged youth. Ticket highlights include: 7,569 seats priced $25 or under per game; a $27 lower bowl ticket; and tickets priced at $10 per game. For ticket information log on to orlandomagic.com or call 407-89-MAGIC.

Through the National Basketball Association's NBA CARES program, the league, players and teams will raise and contribute $100 million for charity, donate more than 1 million hours of hands-on volunteer service to communities worldwide, and build more than 100 places where kids can learn and play over the next five years. The NBA is broadcast in 215 countries and territories in 42 languages.

The Orlando Magic is also the developer of the Amway Center which will compete to host major national events, concerts and family shows. Opening in the fall of 2010, the facility will be operated by the City of Orlando and owned by the Central Florida community. 

Wholesome Tummies

Wholesome Tummies, operated by two Central Florida mothers, provides fresh, natural and organic lunches to elementary students at Orlando-area schools in Orange and Seminole counties. For more information, visit www.wholesometummies.com.

###