New Heights
This project's parent organization is New Heights Youth
It operates in United States
It uses Basketball
Entered the Sport for Health Award
More about New Heights
The children that we serve through New Heights primarily live in East Harlem, Washington Heights, the Bronx and Central Brooklyn, neighborhoods which suffer from higher-than-normal rates of poverty and food insecurity and obesity.
In 2009, the median income in 31.4% of East Harlem households with children fell at or below the poverty level; in Bronx County, 39.4% of children are growing up in poverty. Residents of East Harlem and the South Bronx are more likely to be physically inactive. Residents of these areas experience higher than normal rates of many chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and type II Diabetes, that are strongly correlated with poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle.
In East Harlem and the Bronx, almost 40% of school-aged children are overweight or obese. Through our programming, New Heights educates our student-athletes on the importance of nutrition and healthy lifestyles. By encouraging participation in sports, namely basketball, we are reinforcing healthy behaviors that can lead to higher health rates into adulthood.