Mass in Motion Uses School Gyms to Provide After School Physical Activty to Students

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The state of Massachusetts launched its Mass in Motion initiative in January 2009 to promote wellness and to prevent obesity. Through Mass in Motion, coordinators in Springfield identified a need to provide children with more safe places for physical activity. Members of Mass in Motion, sought opportunities for funding and identified two school gyms in areas of need, where after school physical activity programs could be developed. Because Mass in Motion had previously partnered with the Parks Department and the school district, they were able to keep gyms open during after school hours to provide children with a basketball program.

Although a formal shared use agreement was not signed, Mass in Motion enabled children in Springfield to participate in after school physical activity programs that did not exist before. In the future, Mass in Motion hopes to enter into shared use agreements with its partners so that agreements like this could become a commonplace practice in Springfield. For the time being, Mass in Motion continues to seek funding to keep after school physical activity programs running in Springfield.

Additional links

For more information visit the Mass in Motion homepage.

Learn about the 2008 Mass in Motion: Call to Action, action plan, that speaks of the need to develop strategies to combat childhood obesity.

Read the full Mass in Motion Success Story: Opening the doors to Springfield Gyms for Safe Areas to be Active, to learn about Mass in Motion was able to secure funding to provide after school programming to kids.