Priority Health announces $600,000 statewide partnership with National Fitness Campaign to build outdoor Fitness Courts® across Michigan
Grant applications open, funding available January 2021
(Michigan – Dec. 8, 2020) Michigan-based health plan Priority Health and the National Fitness Campaign (NFC) have launched a statewide partnership to expand free access to high quality workouts by bringing outdoor Fitness Courts® to communities across Michigan. This partnership was formed to fight obesity, improve quality of life and create equitable access to exercise for communities around the state.Through the partnership, Priority Health Fitness Courts will be constructed in easily accessible public spaces with the goal of building 15 more Fitness Courts in the next 18 months. NFC's award-winning initiative is now supporting more than 150 cities across America, including cities in Michigan such as Brownstown, Roseville, Garden City, Big Rapids and Saginaw. NFC launched the pilot program in Michigan when Priority Health assisted with funding a fitness court on the campus of Oakland University in 2019.
"This partnership with NFC couldn't be more timely as we continue to look for innovative partnerships that help create more safe, equitable access to health and wellness for Michigan residents," said Marti Lolli, Chief Marketing Officer and SVP of Consumer and Government Markets at Priority Health. "We believe that all people deserve the opportunity to live a healthy life and we are proud to be Michigan's first statewide sponsor to show our commitment to improving the health of our communities."
NFC's best-in-class outdoor gym features a series of seven-minute workouts with the benefits of digital coaching on the free Fitness Court App, which delivers regular content to keep fitness training fun for adults of all ages and fitness levels. There are also opportunities for free fitness classes through an ambassador program featuring local trainers.
Beginning in January 2021, municipalities, schools and other organizations may apply for grant funding to assist in building a Fitness Court, courtesy of Priority Health and the National Fitness Campaign. Grant recipients will receive tools, education and planning resources to build and sustain an exceptional outdoor wellness culture.
"The National Fitness Campaign is proud to welcome Priority Health as its state sponsor in Michigan," said Mitch Menaged, founder of the NFC. "This program will deliver tremendous resources to contribute to the important mission of fighting obesity and improving health outcomes as the network of Fitness Courts grows across the state. We look forward to working with Priority Health to make this campaign a great success."
NFC and Priority Health will begin accepting applications in January 2021 for grant funding to support building Fitness Courts in local communities. To learn more about completing a grant funding application, visit the National Fitness Campaign.
About Priority Health:
With over 30 years in business, Priority Health is the second largest health plan in Michigan, offering an extensive portfolio of health benefits options for employer groups and individuals, including Medicare and Medicaid plans. Serving more than 1.3 million members each year and offering a broad network of primary care physicians in Michigan, Priority Health continues to be recognized as a leader for quality, customer service, transparency and product innovation. Learn more about affordable, quality health coverage options from Priority Health.
About National Fitness Campaign:
National Fitness Campaign (NFC) is a social enterprise – founded in San Francisco, California in 1979 – that specializes in funding, activating and promoting healthy infrastructure through partnerships with cities and schools. Now operating in over 150 cities, NFC's unique program delivers consulting services and an integrated wellness initiative to communities, centered on: The Fitness Court®. Our mission is to design healthy infrastructure for cities to improve the quality of life for people. Learn more about National Fitness Campaign and follow us on social @NatFitCampaign.