The YMCA Highlights 30 Years of Celebrating Healthy Kids at Healthy Kids Day®

CHICAGO, IL, April 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The YMCA will celebrate three decades of Healthy Kids Day® on Saturday, April 30. Sponsored by Howard Johnson® by Wyndham, the Y’s Healthy Kids Day is a free community event that celebrates kids’ mental and physical health, while teaching healthy habits for kids and families, encouraging active play and inspiring a lifetime love of physical activity. More than 1,400 Y locations across all 50 states— plus D.C. and Puerto Rico— will be hosting events featuring fun games and activities to keep kids moving and learning.

Healthy Kids Day is celebrated by more than 1.2 million participants nationally in an effort by the Y to bring communities together and keep kids active. The Y believes that when a child is healthy, happy and encouraged to use their imagination, amazing things happen. Conversely, research shows that without physical and learning activities — normally provided in school — kids are at high risk for summer learning loss and gain weight three times faster during the summer than during the school year.

“For 30 years, Healthy Kids Day has represented the Y’s enduring commitment to youth development and helping children reach their full potential through physical activity, academic enrichment and fun,” said Suzanne McCormick, President and CEO, YMCA of the USA. “At a time when kids need to rediscover their sense of adventure, Ys across the country will kick off summer by welcoming the community with a wide range of programming and activities to get kids moving and learning.”

Find Your Y: Families can find a Y hosting a Healthy Kids Day event near them by visiting ymca.org/hkd.

Howard Johnson is a proud national partner of the Y with three out of every four U.S. hotels located within just 10 miles of a local Y. In addition to supporting Healthy Kids Day, the brand offers all Y members up to 20% off stays at participating hotels across the country, with 10% of every booking benefiting the Y nationally. Learn more by visiting hojo.com/ymca.

About the Y

Driven by its founding mission, the Y has served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community for almost 170 years. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they’re from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships and opportunities for all to learn, grow and thrive. By bringing people from different backgrounds, perspectives and generations together, the Y’s goal is to improve overall health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment and demonstrate the importance of connections in and across 10,000 communities nationwide. Learn more at ymca.org.

About Howard Johnson® by Wyndham

Ice cream. Family vacations. Happiness. For nearly a century, Howard Johnson® by Wyndham has played a special role in helping generations of families create memories that last a lifetime. That tradition continues today thanks to nearly 300 Howard Johnson hotels worldwide. Offering a wide range of amenities—all chosen to help create happy, memorable stays—guests at most locations enjoy free Wi-Fi, swimming pools, pet friendly rooms and more. Howard Johnson is proud to be an official sponsor of the Y’s Healthy Kids Day® and is committed to helping communities stay active, make memories and have fun. To learn more, or to book your next stay, visit www.hojo.com. You can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram. Go Happy. Go HoJo.