The White House has announced a new partnership with major sports leagues, including the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS, to promote physical activity and better nutrition among the nation’s youth.
The partnership, reminiscent in some ways of the Let’s Move initiative launched in February 2010 and promoted by former first lady Michelle Obama, involves 14 sports leagues that will work with President Joe Biden‘s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
“This new partnership was cultivated as part of the White House challenge to end hunger and build healthy communities,” second gentleman Doug Emhoff said on a call with reporters. “[It’s part of] a nationwide call to action the Biden-Harris administration launched last year to inspire stakeholders across all of society to make bold commitments.”
The initiative will be promoted Sunday in Las Vegas at the Super Bowl and the NBA All-Star Game, which Emhoff will attend in Indianapolis the following week.
Administration officials on the call stressed that it is part of the president’s commitment to ending hunger and his efforts to promote a healthy lifestyle.
“We’ve made significant progress in implementing the national strategy on hunger, nutrition, and health,” said Neera Tanden, director of the U.S. Domestic Policy Council. “For example, we worked with Congress to enact a bipartisan, permanent national summer electronic benefits transfer for children program. Summer EBT will provide grocery benefits of $100 million per eligible child — nearly 21 million children across the country this summer.”
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Other sports leagues involved include the Women’s National Basketball Association and National Women’s Soccer League, which will fold the initiative into existing programs such as the NFL’s Play 60, which encourages at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day.
“We’re incredibly grateful that sports leagues and players associations have entered into this partnership and who will utilize their collective reach to help promote healthy lifestyles,” said Stephen Benjamin, director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
