WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 18, 2004) — From Pompton Lakes, New Jersey to Pokhara, Nepal, young people in Kids Care Clubs (www.kidscare.org) will learn how to choose a healthy lifestyle and fight childhood obesity by participating in the Eat Wise - Exercise!T program during Kids Care Week 2004, October 17-23. The week is dedicated to recognizing the power of kids around the world to reach out and help others in their local and global communities. Kids Care Clubs is a program of the Points of Light Foundation (PointsofLight.org).

The Kids Care Clubs' Eat Wise - Exercise!T program answers a call to community action, put forth by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), an arm of the National Academy of Sciences, to halt the growing childhood obesity problem in the U.S. During the past 30 years, the obesity rate in the United States has more than doubled for preschool children and adolescents, and more than tripled for children ages 6 to 11. Approximately 9 million American children older than age of 6 are now considered obese and 15% of all children and teens between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight. According to a recent study released by the IOM, these young people are at risk of experiencing both serious health and psychosocial problems. Health problems include diabetes and heart disease and psychosocial problems include ridicule, discrimination and low self-esteem.

The Autumn Angels, a group of teens who want to make a difference in the world and promote volunteerism among youth and teens, organized an online auction on eBay at http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/kidscareclubs in support of Kids Care Week and Make a Difference Day. With the proceeds from this auction and a donation from Target Corporation, Kids Care Clubs has awarded forty-five $250 community action grants to support service projects by clubs related to the Eat Wise - Exercise!T program.

Examples of Kids Care Week projects include:
Lakeside Kids Care Club — Pompton Lakes, NJ
Club members will conduct a Give Me Five! Caring CollectionT and distribute the collected fruits and vegetables along with Eat Wise - Exercise!T brochures to needy families through their town nurse and local police.

Rapid City Club for Boys — South Dakota
Club members will spend the week learning how to "eat wise" through after school contests and games such as "Junk Food Relay Races" and staging a "Health Fair" with help from the community Indian Health program.

Alpine Valley Kids Care Club — Highland, MI
Club members will host a nutritious "Rise and Shine BreakfastT with a presentation from a local dietician and a cooking demonstration. Breakfast foods will be collected from the community throughout Kids Care Week to be distributed to low-income families.

Lake Silver Kids Care Club — Orlando, FL
Club members will produce a puppet show on the benefits of healthy snacks and then assemble healthy "Snack Attack Sacks" for a local shelter.

Sathi Nepal Kids Care Club — Pokhara, Nepal
To address the issue of malnutrition in this community, Kids Care Club members will educate families living in slums about nutrition and free health related services. They will also distribute fruit and glucose drinks to malnourished children and families.

Kids Care Clubs is also joining with the Schwan Food Company in a regional fundraising project. A special brochure featuring healthy choices guaranteed to please even the most discriminating palates is being distributed to clubs in the Northeast. Clubs can raise money and win sports equipment to support local service projects related to healthy eating and exercise. The partnership will also help increase awareness and education about proper nutrition and exercise for young people of all ages.