ROSEMONT, Ill. – As part of the dairy checkoff’s evolving youth strategy, GENYOUth announced that it is forming a strategic affiliation with Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK), creating the nation’s largest in-school wellness organization.
DMI will conclude its funding and operational support for GENYOUth by the end of this year. GENYOUth and AFHK will continue to operate as independent 501(c)(3) nonprofits, maintaining their individual IRS statuses, Charity Navigator profiles and boards, while adopting an interconnected governance model.
Launched in 2011 by America’s dairy farmers and the NFL, GENYOUth has provided resources to more than 77,000 schools. AFHK, founded in 2002, has impacted 20 million children in 55,000 schools through its school-family partnerships.
“For over 15 years, GENYOUth has played a pivotal role in driving dairy’s youth-focused mission, powered by the strong partnership between dairy farmers and the NFL,” said Barbara O’Brien, president and CEO of Dairy Management Inc. (DMI). “Through this collaboration, farmers have invested more than $30 million, helping deliver grants, equipment and programs that have touched the lives of millions of students nationwide.
“We are proud of this legacy – and now, we take the next strategic step forward.”
O’Brien said the checkoff’s evolved strategy moves emphasis from broad in-school branded programming and activations to a tightly focused model that leverages local and national resources to protect, maintain and modernize dairy’s nutritional role in school meals. She also noted the increasing importance of engaging youth out of school within digital and gaming platforms to ensure dairy’s relevance.
DMI and state and regional checkoff teams will prioritize strategies where the checkoff can deliver unique impact. Efforts will emphasize promoting the nutrition science behind dairy’s role in dietary guidance, maintaining and modernizing dairy’s place in school meals via the new Smart Swaps program and supporting local programs tied to curriculum and youth sports.
Beyond the school setting, new and existing programs will engage youth through relevant platforms such as gaming and social media. Data shows that young people spend more than half of their waking hours consuming media. In addition, their go-to sources for health and wellness information include family, friends, digital platforms and influencers. The checkoff also will build outreach with parents to inform them about the various ways dairy foods contribute to their children’s health and well-being.
“Dairy farmers remain deeply committed to youth,” O’Brien said. “This is not a retreat from our mission, but a bold step to amplify it. By evolving the checkoff’s strategy in and out of schools, we will accelerate dairy’s relevance with youth and create meaningful, lasting change.”
Over the years, GENYOUth built strong private-public partnerships – including with Fortune 500 companies – and provided grants that increased access to healthy school meals, including dairy, for food-insecure students. As a part of the alliance with AFHK, GENYOUth’s people and programs will continue to ensure that every child – in every school – is nourished, active and supported.
“GENYOUth made a powerful impact in our nation’s schools and by aligning with Action for Healthy Kids, they are combining complementary strengths, creating a more unified platform capable of accelerating progress in youth wellness across the country,” said Pennsylvania dairy farmer Marilyn Hershey, who serves as chair of DMI.
For more information about how the dairy checkoff is driving sales and building trust, visit www.dairycheckoff.com.
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