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Fit City Sponsorship Information

What is Fit City?

Fit City was created by the Bexar County Health Collaborative in 1999 to address the increasing rate of obesity and declining health of San Antonio. Brought on as a Walk San Antonio sponsor in 2004, the YMCA of Greater San Antonio took over management and operation of Fit City in 2005. With available resources, operations knowledge and staff talent to enrich the program, the YMCA is dedicated to strengthening and expanding Fit City, thus positively affecting the health of our community.

The purpose of Fit City is to improve the health and wellness of San Antonio and the surrounding communities through five initiatives:

Walk San Antonio
For the person wanting to track weight loss and fitness progress, Walk San Antonio currently offers 46 weigh in sites. Each month the Walk San Antonio member will see the results of their efforts through the Tanita machine readout. The readout includes not only weight, but percentage of body fat, pounds of fat and muscle. There is no gym membership required to join Walk San Antonio, but exercise is encouraged through an incentive program. Exercise and nutrition tips are shared with members each month.

Healthy Vending
Healthy vending is designed to offer healthy alternatives to typical snacks and beverages found in vending machines. Healthy Vending machines are noted by the Fit City logo. Healthy choices are noted by appropriate selections. Healthy Vending is currently undergoing review and expansion to reach a wider audience at work and at play.

Fit Kids
A pilot program is being developed to bring three 8-week programs to seven sites in Bexar County. The program will incorporate both nutrition and physical activity to improve the health of those children most at risk for developing life-threatening and chronic diseases related to inactivity and obesity.

BMI (Body Mass Index)
Physicians are the first line of defense in the fight against obesity. Through the BMI program, physicians will be given body mass index charts to hang in their examination rooms and the tools to educate their patients about this useful measurement tool.

Newsletter and Monthly Message
To promote Fit City programs and successes, a newsletter is published and distributed quarterly to participants in each initiative, sponsors and key community leaders. The Monthly Message is shared with all Walk San Antonio members to share health and wellness tips as well as to promote upcoming events. Both publications are available on the Fit City Web site currently accessed through www.fitcitysa.org.

Why support Fit City?

According to the Health Collaborative’s 2002 San Antonio Health Assessment, 63% of the population is overweight or obese while 32% engage in absolutely no physical activity. Heart disease is the number one killer, followed by cancer. Diabetes is the third leading cause of death and affects 11% of the population. These statistics correlate to staggering costs associated with health concerns in Bexar County:

• $1.7 billion for cardiovascular disease
• $481 million for diabetes
• $835 million for cancer
• $574 million for obesity and chronic illness

In supporting Fit City, your company will be linked with the health initiative created to address these issues and give people the tools to make healthful lifestyle choices, thereby reducing risk of certain diseases. Your participation reflects favorably on your business.

• 84% of Americans have a more positive image of a company who supports a cause the community cares about. (Cone Roper Report, 1997)
• Over 90% surveyed said that sponsorship improves a company’s image. (IEG Sponsorship Report, 1995)
• Two-thirds of those surveyed would switch brands to one that supports a cause in which they believe, and they would pay more for that sponsor’s product or service. (IEG Sponsorship Report, 1995)

As Fit City grows, so will your company’s visibility in the community.

• Your company extends its message to potential customers you might not otherwise reach.
• Your company will promote health and wellness to your employees, thereby saving lives and reducing your health-related costs.

Being a Fit City supporter means benefits for your employees as well. Their improved fitness and health, productivity, job satisfaction and team spirit translates directly to benefits to your business or organization. Not only will you find absenteeism and turnover decrease, you will see fewer workplace injuries, reduced worker's compensation costs and reduced claims.

Corporate Sponsorship Benefits

Corporate sponsorship of Fit City provides your company the opportunity to play a vital role in the success of an initiative to improve our community's health. For your generous contribution, your company will receive the following benefits: