General Mills Exercises Support for Year Two of California’s ‘Governor’s Challenge’

For the second year, General Mills grants $100,000 to encourage California students, teachers and schools to increase physical activity


The General Mills Foundation is providing $100,000 to support the second annual “Governor’s Challenge,” an initiative of the California Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. The Governor’s Challenge is motivating Californians to be active 30 to 60 minutes a day, at least three days a week for four weeks.

In the first year, more than 69,000 students from over 1,200 schools participated in the Challenge. This year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is calling on California students, teachers and administrators to sign up more than 150,000 students from over 2,500 schools.

“We are inspired by the passion of the California Governor’s Council to help young people, and we applaud the success they achieved this year,” says Ellen Luger, executive director of the General Mills Foundation. “General Mills is proud to partner again with the Governor’s Council and be part of the solution to help Californians increase activity and improve their eating habits.”

Last year, California high school students who signed up for the Governor’s Challenge qualified for a free 30-day pass to 24 Hour Fitness, and those who successfully completed the program earned an additional 90-day pass. This year, incentives have been extended to include elementary school students, middle school students and teachers. As part of General Mills’ support, the first 25,000 students and teachers in the state who complete the Governor’s Challenge will qualify for a Certificate of Completion and an official patch of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

“We are very grateful to the people at General Mills for their support,” said Jake “Body by Jake” Steinfeld, chairman of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. “Thanks to General Mills, we are able to encourage all of the people of this great state to take the Governor’s Challenge and be champions for their own health and fitness.”

This commitment also continues a long history of support for the nutrition and fitness of California’s youth by General Mills. In 1996, General Mills began its successful Box Tops for Education program in California and has since donated $11.6 million to California schools.

Since 2002, the General Mills Foundation and the Champions for Healthy Kids grants program -- a partnership between the General Mills Foundation, the American Dietetic Association Foundation and the President’s Council on Physical Fitness -- have together supporting youth nutrition and fitness in California and across the country.

General Mills Foundation
The General Mills Foundation, celebrating more than 50 years of giving, is a champion for stronger communities. In fiscal 2007, General Mills awarded $82 million to communities across the country, representing more than 5 percent of company pretax profits that year. Of the total, the Foundation contributed more than $20 million in grants in the targeted areas of youth nutrition and fitness, social services, education, and arts and culture. BusinessWeek magazine recently ranked General Mills as the nation’s “Most Generous Corporate Donors.” In addition, the company was listed as one of the top 10 “Best Corporate Citizens” by CRO Magazine, and in 2007, United Way of America honored General Mills with the 20th annual Spirit of America® Corporate Community Investment Summit Award.

Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting physical activity for all Californians with an emphasis on children and youth. Gov. Schwarzenegger is the Honorary Chairman, and Council members include Chairman Jake Steinfeld, Vice Chairman Peter Vidmar, and California sports legends such as Jerry Rice, Tony Hawk, Michelle Kwan, Julie Foudy, Lisa Fernandez and John Wooden. For more information, visit www.CalGovCouncil.org.