Paul L. Foster School of Medicine Kicks Off Healthy Lunchbox Initiative

WHAT: Free lunches and health presentation to young HACEP residents

WHEN: Noon, Friday (Aug. 19)

WHERE: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine Medical Education Courtyard, Concepcion Street and Alberta Avenue

Event: Healthy diets equal smart, alert learners, and the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine and its partners at  Entravision will provide 60 elementary residents of the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso (HACEP) with free healthy lunches.

The children will also get a  lesson about the importance of leading healthy and active lifestyles from a sports medicine physician, as well as inspirational words from Jose Manuel de la Rosa, M.D., founding dean of the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine.

Any leftover lunches will be delivered to two HACEP locations and distributed to elementary school children. The lunches can be picked up at the Salazar Community Central Office at 311 Eucalyptus St., or the Family Investment Center building at 203 Cortez Dr.

The Healthy Lunchbox Initiative is a Walkin' the Talk event. Walkin' the Talk is a Paul L. Foster School of Medicine initiative aimed at making the campus and surrounding neighborhoods healthier.

The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5 percent in 1980 to 19.6 percent in 2008, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overall, the prevalence of more overweight and obese Texas school children was 42 percent for fourth graders, 39 percent for eighth graders and 36 percent for eleventh graders.

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