We’re a nonprofit committed to providing children and youth with equitable access to physical activity and health & nutrition education.
HealthMPowers is a nonprofit organization based in Georgia that champions healthy habits and transforms the environments where children live, learn, and play. Through physical activity and nutrition programs in schools, early care and education sites, out-of-school time sites, and community organizations, we address the root causes of many preventable chronic diseases which stem from poor nutrition and lack of physical activity. By partnering with families and schools in under-resourced communities, we promote widespread, equitable access to the tools that secure healthy futures for young people. Our programs are tailored to meet the specific needs of each population, with the goal of inspiring positive habits throughout the child’s lifetime. Ultimately, we aspire to build a future where all children are nourished and active.
“We did Power Up for 30 activities in various classes in our section. It helped us learn better and be more focused on what we were learning instead of being bored and talking to friends. It gave us more incentive to join in because it was something we were actually interested in.”
– Olivia, Student, Carrollton Junior High
1.
Develop best practices for physical activity and nutrition based on the latest data.
2.
Implement specialized programs that meet the needs of individual populations, particularly under-resourced communities. Learn more about our programming here.
3.
Expand reach, including peer-to-peer programs that champion young voices.
4.
Support access to healthy foods, nutrition education, and opportunities for physical activity.
5.
Inspire educators, children, and youth to take charge of their health.
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Our Story
HealthMPowers was founded in 2000 by two community leaders who became concerned about the health of Georgia’s children. HealthMPowers’ first home was a donated space in the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta headquarters. The room was snug, with one long cubicle for the six educators tasked with developing effective, evidence-based programming. At first, programming targeted only elementary and middle school students and focused on physical activity and nutrition education, injury prevention, and alcohol, tobacco, and drug awareness. Even in our early years, our niche was apparent, teaching lessons to students and leading staff trainings and curriculum development.
Our “mobile unit,” a semi-truck trailer outfitted as a classroom, provided “traveling field trips” to students. Over time, HealthMPowers evolved to conducting school-wide assemblies. In response to new trends in health which showed alarming rates of obesity in children across Georgia, our board of directors decided to ramp up programming in healthy eating, nutrition, and physical activity.
In 2007, we became an official SNAP-Ed implementing agency, in partnership with the state of Georgia and USDA. That’s when we shifted our approach from solely giving lessons to active, multi-year partnerships with schools to transforming educational settings into healthy, active environments.
Several members of our original staff remain with HealthMPowers to this day, continuing to grow alongside the organization. They’re passionate about HealthMPowers’s mission, and are drawn toward its culture of leadership, health promotion, and education.
Every day, we feel inspired by the laughter, learning, and growth of the students and educators we are privileged enough to work with. While HealthMPowers has evolved tremendously over the past 20 years, we have stayed true to our mission of championing healthy habits and transforming the environments where children live, learn, and play.
“I was given an opportunity to work with HealthMPowers as a member of the Student Health Advocate program at McClure Health Science High School. As a high school student, it is not every day that these opportunities are available. I am so glad that I was able to be a part of it because it turned out to be such a wonderful experience. As a student, I believe this is a very important topic and one that not many adults give much thought to.”
– Citly Mojica, High School Junior
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