(NEWARK, NJ) — Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon) and National Fitness Campaign are increasing access to fitness and reducing barriers to physical and mental health by bringing free, outdoor Fitness Courts® to communities across New Jersey.
Horizon joins 19 of the nation’s leading healthcare providers from 20 states across the country as funders of local Fitness Courts. National Fitness Campaign’s award-winning initiative welcomed its 500th healthy community in 2023 and is now funded to deliver vital outdoor wellness programs to 1,000 healthy communities and schools by 2025 to help get people moving outdoors and to fight the rising fiscal and humanitarian costs of physical inactivity.
Horizon is contributing $250,000 in grant funding from its foundation to open ten new Fitness Courts across New Jersey. Sites are expected to begin construction in the fall 2024 with the goal of opening the site locations for community use in spring 2025.
“Investing in Fitness Courts is another way Horizon is working to empower our members to achieve their best health, while partnering with community organizations to build a healthier New Jersey,” said Gary D. St. Hilaire, Horizon’s President and CEO. “As New Jersey’s hometown health insurer, we’re focused on making good health more affordable and more accessible. The opportunities created by our partnership with National Fitness Campaign builds on Horizon’s ninety year history of supporting local organizations and improving the health of New Jersey’s communities.”
The Fitness Court is the world’s best outdoor gym that lets people use their own body weight to get a complete workout using seven exercise stations. Created for people ages 14 and over and with all abilities in mind, the workouts are adaptable for all fitness levels, allowing participants to move at their own pace. Users may also download the free Fitness Court App which acts as a coach-in-your-pocket and enhances the outdoor gym into a digitally supported wellness experience.
“National Fitness Campaign is proud to welcome Horizon as they join the growing network of leading healthcare partners across the country prioritizing equitable fitness across their state,” said Mitch Menaged, founder of National Fitness Campaign. “This program will deliver tremendous resources to contribute to the important mission of improving health outcomes as the network of Fitness Courts grows across New Jersey. We look forward to working with Horizon to make this campaign a great success.”
Municipalities, schools and other organizations in New Jersey can apply for grant funding through National Fitness Campaign to assist in joining the campaign. National Fitness Campaign works with grant recipients to assist in planning, funding and launching their Fitness Court and community wellness programming.
Grant applications are currently being accepted. To learn more about funding, visit nationalfitnesscampaign.com/newjersey.
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About Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
Horizon is the state’s largest and oldest health insurer. Together with its affiliates, Horizon provides a wide array of medical, dental, vision and prescription insurance products and services. As New Jersey’s health solutions leader, Horizon is transforming healthcare by working with doctors and hospitals to deliver innovative, patient-centered programs that improve quality and lower costs. It is headquartered in Newark, New Jersey with offices in Wall and Hopewell, New Jersey. Horizon serves 3.7 million members including more than 1 million who rely on Medicaid for their health coverage. Horizon is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Learn more at www.HorizonBlue.com.
About National Fitness Campaign
Founded in San Francisco in 1979, National Fitness Campaign is a wellness consulting firm that provides programs and services to cities, schools and sponsors. Its mission is to build healthy communities nationwide. The campaign delivers an integrated wellness initiative, centered on the Fitness Court®– the world's best outdoor gym. National Fitness Campaign welcomed its 500th healthy community in 2023, as it continues to grow the country’s largest public-private partnership in support of wellness with the goal of building a Fitness Court® within a 10-minute bike ride of every American. Follow along with National Fitness Campaign at nationalfitnesscampaign.com or on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
