San Antonio’s Healy-Murphy Center, a non-profit private school for youth in crisis, Tuesday received a sizable donation from the Herbalife Family Foundation to add a nutrition and healthy foods component to its programming.
For more than 120 years, the Healy-Murphy Center at the east edge of downtown has been providing education and support for vulnerable youth and those on the brink of dropping out of school because of limited choices.
State Representative Philip Cortez told the group gathered at the center that the $10,000 donation will help the center create long-term changes in eating habits for teen parents and their children.
“We need to get them to understand that living a healthy lifestyle, making good choices for their nutrition, is important. That is the first step to ensuring that you’re successful at school," Cortez said.
Healy-Murphy Executive Director Doug Watson says the funds first will help the school provide the fresh fruits and vegetables kids need to be choosing for their plates. The school also will partner with the UT Health Science Center, providing a nutritionist who will work individually with students to reinforce good eating habits.
“She’ll take them on a field trip to their local grocery store. She’ll take them and show them what’s possible,” Watson said.
The Casa Herbalife programs were established in 2005 to bring nutrition to children in orphanages, after-school care centers, and other non-profit facilities for underserved children.
