Home Run for Healthy Kids®

The Junior League of Greenville, Inc., (JLG) held its final year of Home Run for Healthy Kids ® (HRHK) event on October 24-25, 2019. The goal of HRHK was to promote healthy lifestyles as a free, education field trip for Greenville County school children.

Recently, the JLG realigned its focus areas, engaging with initiatives that help women in the Upstate community overcome barriers, including economic mobility and human trafficking. Key JLG leadership team members chose to end HRHK in conjunction with this shift. Further information can be found in the video below from Sarah Lynne Howie, 2019-2020 JLG President.

The Annual Home Run for Healthy Kids® event was held at Fluor Field, the baseball stadium of our Minor League Baseball team, the Greenville Drive. Approximately 2,000 Greenville County school children in 4th grade participated in this free, educational field trip at Fluor Field. In the past eleven years, the JLG has partnered with Greenville County Schools to reach over 24,200 students and invested almost $215,000 with the goal of improving the community by teaching children to adopt healthier lifestyles.

  

The JLG started this event after research showed staggering statistics for obesity, accidental injuries, and unhealthy youth in South Carolina. Home Run for Healthy Kids® was designed to engage students to practice healthy lifestyles and to ensure students receive the support they needed to grow up safe, happy, healthy, and thriving. This was accomplished through hands-on learning activities, giveaways, and educational information sessions.

In addition to planning and administering Home Run for Healthy Kids®, the JLG provided the funds needed for the event, including transportation to and from Fluor Field. This was a free field trip to all children who attended and invitations to the event focused on Title One schools.

  

The JLG solidified partnerships with local community agencies and businesses who served as station partners at the event. Each of these station partners provided a fun, interactive activity or presentation that engaged all of the children. The JLG’s Home Run for Healthy Kids® Committee coordinated, organized, and directed the entire event with assistance from over 100 JLG volunteers during the event.