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IPOP
Play!
Takes on
Childhood
Obesity
in
Detroit
By Karen
Hudson
Samuels/Tell
Us
Detroit
DETROIT
(Tell Us
Det) -
The
parking
lot of
the
Institute
for
Public
Health (IPH)
in
downtown
Detroit
was
turned
into
playground
Wednesday
morning
and for
good
reason,
to
kick-off
IPOP
Play! --
a
program
to
tackle
childhood
obesity
in
Detroit,
a
problem
worsened
by poor
nutrition
and
“play
deserts”
-- a
lack of
safe
environments
for kids
run,
jump and
play
games.
IPOP
Play! is
an
afterschool
program
developed
by IPH
to
encourage
kids to
get
moving
and burn
off
calories
by
providing
a safe
healthy
atmosphere
to
engage
in
physical
activity.
It will
target
youngsters
in
grades 4
through
8,
offering
meals,
lessons
in
nutrition
and a
healthy
dose of
exercise.
The
partners
working
to bring
IPOP
Play! to
3,000
Detroit
children
were on
hand for
the kick
off,
including
Felicia
Turrentine
Wasson,
Coca-Cola
Director
of
Public
Affairs
and
Communications
was on
hand for
the
Coca-Cola
Foundation’s
$100,000
award to
the
program;
Councilman
Andre
Spivey
speaking
on
behalf
of the
23 local
churches
opening
their
doors
for the
program
and
Jeanine
Gant,
Executive
Director
of
Playworks,
a
national
non-profit
that
will
teach
coaches
the art
of
structured
play.
Loretta
Davis,
President
and CEO
of IPH
said an
important
goal of
the
program
is
helping
children
understand
the
connection
between
healthy
eating
and
physical
exercise.
“Food is
energy
in, and
when we
move, it
is
energy
out”.
Davis
explained
that “We
don’t
want
these
young
people
worrying
about
calories
all
time” .
Instead
“What we
want
them to
understand
that
food is
used for
energy
and
exercise
is used
to burn
that
energy”
.
Davis
said
churches
were
selected
as the
location
of IPOP
Play!
for
their
safety
outdoors
and
indoors
during
winter
months.
Starting
this
week
churches
will
begin
receiving
supplies
of
hula-hoops,
balls,
jump
ropes,
items to
run
relays
and
other
gaming
equipment.
Detroit
Councilman,
Rev.
Andre
Spivey
(right
front),
speaking
for the
participating
churches,
said “We
cannot
have a
future
if we
don’t
have
healthy
children”.
(Photo
by Harry
Meeks/Tell
Us
Detroit)
The
spiritual
as well
as the
physical
well-being
of our
children
is the
responsibility
of the
church
said
Spivey
who also
sees
IPOP
Play! as
an
intergenerational
opportunity
for
“seasoned
citizens”
to work
with the
kids to
get in
shape.
“The
power of
play can
bring
out the
best in
every
kid” is
the
philosophy
of
Playworks
the
group
that
will
train
young
coaches,
selected
by the
churches,
to lead
structured
play
activities.
Gant
said
Playworks
makes
sure all
kids all
included
in
activities,
even
those
who may
be
bullied
because
of their
size. To
empower
kids,
the
program
provides
lessons
in
teamwork
and
negotiating
skills
to
counter
fights
and
bullying.
One the
tools
used for
conflict
resolution
said
Gant is
Rock,
Paper,
Scissors
and
High-Fives
are
encouraged
for kids
to tell
each
other
“Good
Job”.
"Coca-Cola
Foundation’s
giving
initiatives,
which
centers
around
well-being,
was a
deciding
factor
in
funding
the IPOP
Play!
program,"
said Wasson.
“We saw
this as
an
opportunity
to reach
thousands
of
children
in the
city of
Detroit
with an
old
school
example
that we
know
works...getting
back to
the
basics”.
The list
of
churches
participating
in the
program
is
listed
below.
Each
church
will
receive
a
stipend
of
$2,000
allocated
quarterly
in
$500.00
installments.
The
coaches
selected
by the
church
will
receive
a
monthly
$50.00
stipend.
IPOP
Play!
Church
Playground Sites
Church
of the
Messiah
– Rev.
Barry
Randolph
231 E.
Grand
Blvd
Detroit,
MI 48207
East
Grand
Blvd
Church
of God
in
Christ –
Bishop
Dr.
Welton
Lawrence
1432
East
Grand
Blvd
Detroit,
MI 48211
Fellowship
Chapel –
Rev. Dr.
Wendell
Anthony
7707 W
Outer
Drive
Detroit,
MI 48235
Greater
Emmanuel
Church
of God
in
Christ –
Bishop
J. Drew
Sheard
19190
Schaefer
Hwy
Detroit,
MI 48235
Greater
Grace
Temple –
Bishop
Charles
H. Ellis
III
23500 W.
7 Mile
Detroit,
MI 48219
Greater
Love
Tabernacle
Church
of God
in
Christ –
Pastor
Steven
B.
Dunlap
17617
Plymouth
Detroit,
MI 48227
Greater
Mitchell
Temple
Church
of God
in
Christ –
Bishop
John H.
Sheard
13737
Curtis
Detroit,
MI 48235
Greater
New St.
Paul
Church -
Bishop
Kevin
Early
3090
Cadillac
Detroit,
MI 48214
Hartford
Memorial
Baptist
Church –
Rev. Dr.
Charles
G. Adams
18900
James
Couzens
Highway
Detroit,
MI 48235
Healing
Springs
Baptist
Church –
Rev.
Patrick
Franklin
12647
Hamilton
Highland
Park, MI
48203
Little
Rock
Baptist
Church –
Rev. Jim
Holley
9000
Woodward
Detroit,
MI
482002
New
Destiny
Church –
Bishop
Horace
Sheffield
12048
Grand
River
Detroit,
MI 48204
New
Prospect
Missionary
Baptist
Church –
Rev. Dr.
Wilma R.
Johnson
6330
Pembroke
Detroit,
MI 48221
New St.
Paul
Tabernacle
Church
of God
in
Christ –
Bishop
P.A.
Brooks
15340
Southfield
Drive
Detroit,
MI 48223
North
End
Church
of God
in
Christ –
Rev.
Willie
B. Toone
234
Custer
Detroit,
MI 48202
Oak
Grove
African
Methodist
Episcopal
Church –
Rev. Dr.
Robert
Brumfield
19801
Cherrylawn
Detroit,
MI 48221
Power in
the
Praises
Church
of God
in
Christ –
Rev.
Percy
Anderson
1501
Canton
Detroit,
MI 48207
Sacred
Heart
Catholic
Church –
Fr.
Norman
P.
Thomas
1000
Eliot
Detroit,
MI 48207
Saunders
Memorial
African
Methodist
Episcopal
Church –
Rev. Dr.
Dwayne
A. Gary
3542
Pennsylvania
Detroit,
MI 48214
Second
Ebenezer
Church –
Bishop
Edgar
Vann
14601
Dequindre
Detroit,
MI 48212
St. Paul
African
Methodist
Episcopal
Church –
Rev.
Andre L.
Spivey
2260
Hunt
Detroit,
MI 48207
Tabernacle
Missionary
Baptist
Church –
Pastor
Nathan
Johnson
2080
West
Grand
Blvd.
Detroit,
MI 48208
Third
New Hope
Baptist
Church –
Rev.
Edward
L.
Branch
12850
Plymouth
Detroit,
MI 48227
Word in
Action
Christian
Center –
Bishop
Elect
Clarence
Langston
18901
Wyoming
St.
Detroit,
MI 48221
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