Reebok to Donate 5% of All Kids Footwear to Get Children Active and Healthy

Reebok to Donate 5% of All Kids Footwear to Get Children Active and Healthy

Brand Partners with DSW to Support BOKS and Increase its Impact in Underserved Communities

(BOSTON, MA) OCTOBER 1, 2020 — Starting today, Reebok will donate 5% of all Kids Footwear sales on its US ecommerce site to BOKS(Build Our Kids’ Success) to bring physical activity and wellness opportunities to more children. Reebok aims to use this funding to build on its10-year partnership with BOKS and reverse the negative physical, mental and social health impacts that a largely sedentary lifestyle has hadon this generation. This funding commitment will be directed to underserved communities, particularly racially diverse communities, that face more barriers to fitness and sport.

In addition, Reebok has partnered with DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse®, to bring BOKS’ free physical activity resources to familiesand educators across the country. Through DSW’s mission-focused platform DSWGives, the retailer is focused on empowerment,resilience, wellness, education and more, with a long standing commitment to giving back to communities across the nation. Each month,the brands will release BOKS Fitness Calendars which provide kids with daily activity and play no matter their learning environment due toCOVID-19. As part of the partnership with DSW, for every pair of shoes purchased at a DSW store or DSW.com, customers will receive alink to download the BOKS calendars! To date, the relationship has brought in over 500 customers views.

“Working with BOKS over the past 10 years, we’ve seen the impact daily physical activity has on children and yet, daily physical education and play continue to lose funding and support,” said Chris Froio, Senior Vice President, Reebok North America. “As the leading fitness brand, we are increasing our commitment to BOKS in a time when families need it most. Weare proud that DSW has joined our efforts and look forward to working together to make a difference in kids lives across the country.”

“Giving back has always been part of DSW’s brand DNA and we’re committed to positively impacting communities in the U.S. and acrossthe world,” said DSW CMO Amy Stevenson. “We partnered with Reebok to help frontline workers at the start of the pandemic and we are thrilled to partner with them again to support children’s movement through BOKS.”

The BOKS program, which has been part of the Reebok brand since 2010, has impacted more than 500,000 kids over the last 10-years,improving whole child health and priming their minds for learning. Built on the science and research documented in the book, Spark: TheRevolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, BOKS provides free physical activity curriculum, training and support to communities that want to establish and maintain impactful fitness and nutrition programs serving the whole child. In addition, BOKS has:

Expanded its program to offer before, during and after school physical activity curricula as well as virtual at-homeresources and BOKS recess for parents to keep kids active;
Broadened its reach beyond elementary school to middle school, high school, early childhood, and more recentlyannounced its inclusive resources, for children with intellectual disabilities, in partnership with Special Olympics;
Launched a grant program to provide funding to schools in underserved communities;
Conducted long-term research of the program’s efficacy with research partners including Mass General Hospital forChildren, Harvard School of Public Health, National Institute of Out of School Time and others;
Published validation of positive physical, mental and socioemotional impact on kids in the American Journal of PreventativeMedicine and Journal of Exercise Sports and Orthopedics;
Received recognition from Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Active Schools

“Physical activity is a critical piece of overall wellness and mental health,” said Kathleen Tullie, founder and executive director of BOKS. “I am so grateful to have found brands that not only supports that mission, but that are dedicating resources to reverse physical inactivity trends across the globe.” “This partnership is an example of what can happenwhen non-profit and for-profit businesses come together under one shared vision and work towards a common goal.”

Support from WNBA Star Lexie Brown:

“Sports have always been one of my biggest sources of confidence. I consider myself self-motivated, but sports have really allowed me to setgoals that I want to achieve throughout my life. Basketball has changed my life. I am so blessed to have had the influence of my dad whilegrowing up, but I know there are so many kids that don’t get to experience that. BOKS is special because it is for everyone. You don’t have tobe an all-star athlete to do it. Every kid should be exposed to the power of health and wellness like I was. Programs like these can change a kid’spath in so many ways and I am so excited to support BOKS and Reebok on their mission to reach more underserved kids in the next 10years.”

Media Contacts

Dan Sarro, Reebok daniel.sarro@reebok.com

About Reebok

Reebok International Ltd., headquartered in Boston, MA, USA, is a leading worldwide designer, marketer and distributor of fitness andlifestyle footwear, apparel and equipment. An American-inspired global brand, Reebok is a pioneer in the sporting goods industry with arich and storied fitness heritage. Reebok develops products, technologies and programming that enable movement so people can fulfilltheir potential. Reebok connects with the fitness consumer wherever they are and however they choose to stay fit – whether it’s functionaltraining, running, combat training, walking, dance, yoga or aerobics. Reebok Classics leverages the brand’s fitness heritage andrepresents the roots of the brand in the sports lifestyle market.

For more information, visit Reebok at www.reebok.com, or, for the latest news at http://news.reebok.com/

Discover Reebok at the following locations: https://www.instagram.com/reebok/; http://twitter.com/reebok; and http://youtube.com/reebok

About BOKS

In today’s screen obsessed culture, kids are the least active generation in history. This sedentary lifestyle is negatively impacting both theirphysical, mental and social health. BOKS is a physical activity program designed to reverse this public health crisis by getting kids active andestablishing a lifelong commitment to health and fitness. Built on the science and research documented in the book, Spark: The RevolutionaryNew Science of Exercise and the Brain, BOKS provides free physical activity curriculum, training and support to communities looking toestablish and maintain impactful fitness and nutrition programs serving the whole child. Having grown from a single elementary school to aglobal initiative, BOKS is scalable, and its impact is supported by scientific research. BOKS envisions a world in which movement is afoundational part of every child’s day. For more information about BOKS visit www.bokskids.org.

ABOUT DSW

DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse is a leading branded footwear and accessories retailer offering a wide selection of brand name anddesigner dress, casual and athletic footwear and accessories for women, men and kids. DSW operates more than 500 locations in 44 statesand operates a robust ecommerce website at www.dsw.com, a mobile site at m.dsw.com and via mobile app. Founded in 1991, DSW is adivision of Columbus, Ohio-based Designer Brands Inc.

BOKS ANNOUNCES $200K GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

Funds, training, and programmatic support bring equitable access to activity and play to more children in-need during COVID-19 and beyond

(BOSTON) SEPTEMBER 9, 2020 — Today BOKS (Build Our Kids’ Success), an initiative of the Reebok Foundation, announced a $200,000 grant program that will support its efforts to provide equal access to physical activity and play to more children in underserved communities. This program will provide funds for schools and non-profit youth organizations in need, while allowing them the autonomy to use BOKS’ free curricula to get kids active and healthy in the method that works best for their current educational environment.

Children living in underserved communities face more barriers to sport and fitness. The implications of this are far-reaching when you consider the proven mental, physical and social benefits physical activity has on a person, no matter their age, background, or zip code. This grant program will allow BOKS to direct funding to kids who need it most in those schools and youth organizations struggling to provide impactful physical activity programs during COVID-19 and beyond.

“At BOKS, we strive to be as helpful as possible to educators and parents alike when it comes to keeping kids active and healthy,” said Kathleen Tullie, senior director of social purpose at Reebok International and founder & executive director of BOKS. “This year, educators will face more challenges than ever before, and those working in under-funded communities will be the hardest hit, so we acted quickly to provide those in need with resources and support.” Tullie added, “It’s not just about physical health, our kids are at risk for increased mental health issues exacerbated by the stress of the pandemic. It’s important that we do what we can to help them stay active in this difficult time.”

The BOKS grant application can be found here and will be accepted on a rolling basis and will close on December 31, 2020 or when all funds have been disbursed, whichever is sooner. In addition:

Grants will be awarded in increments of $1,000, $2,000 or $3,000 per school, per academic year, based on the type of BOKS program implemented and the number of children impacted;
Schools, or non-profit youth organizations that apply must be enrolled in BOKS to be considered (Traditional BOKS, BOKS Bursts or both); (Link to enrollment form)
Schools or non-profit youth organizations must be located in the United States;
A minimum of 50% of the students at the school or non-profit youth organization must be eligible for free or reduced lunch program. Priority will be given to those with 75% or higher of students receiving free or reduced lunch.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting school closures, BOKS has overhauled the delivery of its program to adapt to various school environments. Whether teaching at-home, in-school, or with a hybrid model; BOKS’ free resources can be utilized by anyone looking to provide children with much-needed physical activity to stimulate the mental benefits of movement and play during this difficult time. Funds from the new grant platform will be used to support these efforts.

“Our partnership with BOKS has been instrumental in getting our students moving during the pandemic,” said Sara Elghobashy, senior vice president of external affairs, Mission Society of New York City. “By curating a series of fun, apartment-friendly activities for the Mission Society’s virtual summer program, BOKS ensured that physical fitness remained a priority for families, keeping them active and healthy at home.”

In addition to this new grant program, BOKS has evolved its “Defenders of Physical Activity Awards” for the current environment and will be recognizing one outstanding school or non-profit youth organization with a $10,000 award at the end of 2020. Understanding that this will be a school year like no other, this award was established to honor those teachers, youth counselors, and most importantly students, that are creatively using the BOKS program to keep their minds and bodies active during this time. For more information on nominating a “Defender of Physical Activity” that you know, visit www.bokskids.org.

Media Contacts
Jess Garbarino, BOKS
jess.garbarino@bokskids.org

About BOKS

In today’s screen obsessed culture, kids are the least active generation in history. This sedentary lifestyle is negatively impacting both their physical, mental and social health. BOKS is a physical activity program designed to reverse this public health crisis by getting kids active and establishing a lifelong commitment to health and fitness. Built on the science and research documented in the book, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, BOKS provides free physical activity curriculum, training and support to communities looking to establish and maintain impactful fitness and nutrition programs serving the whole child. Having grown from a single elementary school to a global initiative, BOKS is scalable and its impact is supported by scientific research. BOKS envisions a world in which movement is a foundational part of every child’s day. For more information about BOKS visit www.bokskids.org.

BOKS and Special Olympics Announce Partnership to Enhance Physical Activity for Children of All Abilities

BOKS deepens its commitment to inclusive movement for children and communities across the globe by enriching its curriculum with help from Special Olympics

BOSTON, MA, May 7, 2020 – BOKS, an initiative of the Reebok Foundation, and Special Olympics have announced a multi-year collaboration to enrich BOKS’ physical activity program with inclusive strategies for kids engaged in physical activity and fitness. This collaboration will allow both Special Olympics and BOKS to get more kids active and improve their physical and emotional well-being.

Globally, 16% of Special Olympics athletes 8-19 years old are obese and 15% are overweight. In the United States, 32% of Special Olympics athletes 8-19 years old are obese and 15% are overweight. The obesity rate of Special Olympics athletes in the US is nearly twice that of the obesity rate in the general population among children and adolescents of the same age. Due to a lack of training and knowledge of working with people with ID among health and fitness professionals, these children might be overlooked when it comes to having the opportunity for fitness and play. BOKS and Special Olympics have joined forces with a shared vision to get youth with and without intellectual disabilities (ID) more active and establish a lifelong commitment to health and fitness.

To celebrate this collaboration, Special Olympics athletes will join BOKS in its efforts to deliver at-home physical activity to families and kids during Covid-19. Join a LIVE workout on Facebook guest hosted by Special Olympics U.S. Youth Ambassadors Kyle Norman, Alex Keith, Myah Garrett, and Britney Bautista at 12 pm EST/9am PST.

Please visit https://www.facebook.com/boks/ to tune into live workouts on:

Thursday May 7 – Myah Garrett

Thursday May 14 – Kyle Norman

Thursday May 21 – Alex Keith

Thursday May 28 – Britney Bautista

Britney Bautista, Special Olympics United States Youth Ambassador shared her excitement for the new partnership, “Our partnership with BOKS allows more youth to have the chance to be physically active. Inclusive physical activity opportunities are important to me because they can strengthen relationships with families, athletes and teammates. Daily exercise can improve your energy level, help you stay more focused in school, and help build a more positive mindset. The most important part of inclusion is allowing Special Olympics athletes to be in the spotlight and show his/her capabilities. Everyone should be included and celebrated!”

Special Olympics U.S. Youth Ambassadors are a group of 23 youth leaders with and without intellectual disabilities who are striving to make the nation a more inclusive place for all. These youth leaders act as advocates, share stories, and demonstrate the values of inclusive youth leadership across the country.

BOKS provides a program based in functional fitness and play that anyone and everyone can engage in regardless of age or skill and is currently run in many different inclusive environments throughout the United States. Working together with Special Olympics, the team will offer this programming as an additional fitness opportunity in 7,600 Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® (SOUCS), especially the elementary schools. SOUCS is a program for schools Pre-K through university that intentionally promotes meaningful social inclusion by bringing together students with and without intellectual disabilities to create accepting school environments.

“It is an honor to be working with Special Olympics given its global impact and reach,” said Kathleen Tullie, executive director of the BOKS Program. “BOKS has always been a welcome space to anyone, but with the support of Special Olympics we can certify our programming is delivered in an even more prescribed manner.”

Special Olympics improves the fitness of athletes by providing tailored tools for individuals, families, and Special Olympics Programs. Physical activity, adequate nutrition and hydration enhance athletes’ performance and improve health and overall quality of life. By working with BOKS and incorporating facets of their movement skills and nutritional tidbits into what already exists, the two programs become even stronger together.

“We don’t have many fitness opportunities specifically targeted to elementary school students, outside of our Young Athletes program, which is an early childhood play program geared to children with and without intellectual disabilities aged 2-7 years old.” said Dr. Alicia Bazzano, Chief Health Officer, Special Olympics. “By partnering with BOKS, we are continuing to expand the reach of our fitness and physical activity opportunities offered in schools to youth around the world and are able to reach their network of 5,500 schools with a curriculum that is more inclusive of all students. This is a wonderful opportunity to encourage inclusion and get youth with and without intellectual disabilities moving and beginning a lifelong commitment to their health.”

To sign up to receive the full inclusive BOKS curricula enroll here: https://activekids.org/enroll-school

ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Special Olympics is a global inclusion movement using sport, health, education and leadership programs every day around the world to end discrimination against and empower people with intellectual disabilities. Founded in 1968, Special Olympics movement has grown to more than 6 million athletes and Unified Sports partners in over 190 countries. With the support of more than 1 million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics delivers 32 Olympic-type sports and over 100,000 games and competitions throughout the year. Special Olympics is supported by individuals, foundations and partners, including Bank of America, the Christmas Records Trust, The Coca-Cola Company, ESPN, Essilor Vision Foundation, the Golisano Foundation, IKEA Foundation, the Lane Family, the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, Lions Clubs International, Safilo Group, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, TOYOTA, United Airlines, and The Walt Disney Company. Click here for a full list of partners. Engage with us on: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and our blog on Medium. Learn more at www.SpecialOlympics.org

ABOUT BOKS: In today’s screen obsessed culture, kids are the least active generation in history. This sedentary lifestyle is negatively impacting both their physical and mental health. BOKS is a physical activity program designed to reverse this public health crisis by getting kids active and establishing a lifelong commitment to health and fitness. Built on the science and research documented in the book, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, BOKS provides free physical activity curriculum, training and support to communities looking to establish and maintain impactful fitness and nutrition programs serving the whole child. Having grown from a single elementary school to a global initiative, BOKS is scalable, and its impact is supported by scientific research. BOKS envisions a world in which movement is a foundational part of every child’s day. Follow us on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube. Learn more at www.bokskids.org.