Mission Statement
Fitness for Life is a non-profit, student-run community service organization affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania dedicated to fighting the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle. Its goal is to empower children and young adults to take control of their health and fitness level through physical activity and eating right. After all, nearly thirty percent of the children and sixty percent of adults are obese in the United States, and these percentages are likely to continue to grow steadily. Accordingly, Fitness for Life strives to help those in the West Philadelphia area realize the true dangers of obesity and pique their interest in changing their lifestyles, while also raising an awareness of this issue in the Penn community.
Members of FFL work toward this mission by taking frequent service trips to elementary and middle schools in West Philadelphia School District, primarily Spruce Hill Christian School in addition to Benjamin B. Comegys Elementary School, to speak to students about the importance of exercise and play mini-sports games to show these students how fun exercise can be. As a whole, Fitness for Life attempts to create a culture promoting an active lifestyle at Spruce Hill, be it through the school trips or by donating athletic equipment to the school or the students. The organization also hosts athletic events for charity to raise money for research on childhood obesity at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and other nonprofit institutions. Lastly, Fitness for Life also promotes awareness of obesity by learning from guest speakers, such as experts in the field or professional athletes, about the benefits of making exercise an integral part of one’s life.
For more background information, be sure to read an article in The Daily Pennsylvanian about one of our service trips during which the Quaker, Penn's very own mascot, accompanied us to Spruce Hill.
Members of FFL work toward this mission by taking frequent service trips to elementary and middle schools in West Philadelphia School District, primarily Spruce Hill Christian School in addition to Benjamin B. Comegys Elementary School, to speak to students about the importance of exercise and play mini-sports games to show these students how fun exercise can be. As a whole, Fitness for Life attempts to create a culture promoting an active lifestyle at Spruce Hill, be it through the school trips or by donating athletic equipment to the school or the students. The organization also hosts athletic events for charity to raise money for research on childhood obesity at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and other nonprofit institutions. Lastly, Fitness for Life also promotes awareness of obesity by learning from guest speakers, such as experts in the field or professional athletes, about the benefits of making exercise an integral part of one’s life.
For more background information, be sure to read an article in The Daily Pennsylvanian about one of our service trips during which the Quaker, Penn's very own mascot, accompanied us to Spruce Hill.
