For the past six years, the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) and the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America (ABFHA) have partnered to provide grants to help support mayors’ efforts to address childhood obesity in their cities. This year Gresham, Ore., Mayor Shane Bemis received 2^nd place for a medium city in the 2017 Childhood Obesity Prevention Award in recognition of his “Gresham Youth Challenge” program.

The Gresham Youth Challenge pairs low-income, at-risk youths with trained, volunteer adult mentors from the community who show them how to live in a healthy way. The mentors teach boys and girls the importance of physical activity and about choosing foods and beverages that can help them achieve a balanced lifestyle.

Programs like Mayor Bemis’s “Gresham Youth Challenge” have a real and lasting impact on our communities in the fight against childhood obesity. Visit USMayors.org to learn about the grant program and this year’s award winners.