Marywood University, throught a grant from The Blue Ribbon Foundation of Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania, is sponsoring a free summer program to help families achieve a healthy weight. The program has been designed to help the child and their family work as a unit to learn how to manage the child's weight more effectivley, through lifestyle modification.

Eligible families will be referred to Marywood University to meet with the SNAP staff. Families will be screened to assess their availability and eligibility to participate in the SNAP program.

The SNAP program is looking for children ages 6-11 who have a BMI over 85% for their age and height, and one or both parents with a BMI of over 25. If you are unsure if you qualify, the staff of SNAP will be happy to talk to you on the phone with no obligation. You may contact Marty Davey at (570)340-6079 or by email at snap@ac.marywood.edu, and she will be happy to provide you with more information on this exciting program.

The SNAP summer immersion program invites the families to enjoy 5 days of learning and fun. Last year's participants called it "a great learning vacation."

Cooking classes, restaurant visits, supermarket tours, physical activities that teach fun family games and group classes that look at cultural factors that impact food selection are just a few of the seminars planned for the children and their families.

From the evening of August 3rd through the morning of August 8th, families will live on campus for five nights and six days. The entire program is FREE to the families. The program provides all meals, housing, activities and classes.

Exclusion Factors Include:

Current participation in a weight loss program or taking weight loss medication.

Type I or uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes, pregnancy, post gastric-bypass surgery, uncontrolled thyroid dysfunction or cancer.