Billie Jean King, Kristine Lilly and Mayor Tom Menino Help Launch the Women's Sports Foundation's GoGirlGo! Boston
Research Shows Boston Girls at Risk
BOSTON, MA., November 27, 2007 –Women's Sports Foundation Founder, Billie Jean King, soccer great Kristine Lilly and Mayor Thomas A. Menino will be among those on hand today for the launch of the Women's Sports Foundation's GoGirlGo! Boston. In 2004, the Foundation created GoGirlGo! to address critical health issues facing girls, namely obesity, diabetes, inactivity and its consequences.
The Foundation's goal of getting one million girls active began with GoGirlGo! in Atlanta, then grew to Chicago and San Antonio, cities where girls are especially at risk. The threats to Boston's girls have been outlined in a new research report “Addressing the Health and Physical Activity Needs of Girls in the Boston Metropolitan Area“ by GoGirlGo! lead researcher, Lisa Zurn, Ph.D. and The Women's Sports Foundation. The research, which will be released today, reveals that Boston girls are more overweight than the national average.
Through GoGirlGo!, the Women's Sports Foundation will provide at least $600,000 in grant funding over the next three years to help finance and support existing local organizations that work with girls. The Women's Sports Foundation will also provide technical support and guidance through its GoGirlGo! Boston staff and via the free award-winning GoGirlGo! educational program.
“I paid $8 for a racket and learned to play tennis on a public court, “says Women's Sports Foundation founder Billie Jean King, “this generation deserves that same opportunity. But because of conditions like high crime neighborhoods and lack of funding for programs, many, many girls are not getting that chance and that's where GoGirlGo! comes in.”
Women's Sports Foundation National Sponsors, Gatorade® and Advanta are joined by local sponsors, O'Neill & Associates and Massachusetts Sports Partnership in providing generous support to the GoGirlGo! Boston program. For more information or to obtain a copy of the report, visit GoGirlGoBoston.com
About the Women's Sports FoundationFounded in 1974 by Billie Jean King, the Women's Sports Foundation is a national charitable educational organization seeking to advance the lives of girls and women through sports and physical activity. The Foundation's Participation, Education, Advocacy, Research and Leadership programs are made possible by gifts from individuals, foundations and corporations. The Foundation is located in Nassau County, N.Y. For more information, please browse through this website or call the Foundation at (800) 227-3988.
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