Our Progress

• Moovjam Pizza I Fitness Parties: As part of a healthy pizza promotion, the “MoovJam” fitness parties took place in schools, clubs, community centers and private homes throughout the year. They were designed to encourage children to exercise and eat only healthy fast foods.
• Buzz Marketing: A guerilla marketing campaign was developed; it involved students, parents, educators, a large restaurant chain, and well-known fitness instructors. An awareness of “Moovjam Fitness Parties” was generated, as was the concept that health and fitness are important in fighting obesity. Athletic performance was not the focus of the parties; instead the parties aimed to motivate kids to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
• Grand Scale Awareness of Obesity / Celebration of health and fitness: An event planner was contracted by Moovjam to plan and execute a kick-off Health and Fitness event that would create an awareness of child obesity; educate youth and families about health and fitness through concrete action and experience; provide health screening (free blood-glucose testing); and raise funds to cover the cost of ongoing fitness parties. The event took place on August 26, 2006, and included interactive sports and exercise demonstrations, nutritional education and healthy food sampling, healthy cooking classes and competitions, and health care clinics -offering free blood glucose level screenings. Multiple concerts and performances took place to motivate and engage audiences of all ages. A highly successful media and PR campaign drew the attention of industry, healthcare professionals, the public and journalists alike. Video DVD’s are available.
• Follow Up / Planting the Seeds for Change: Following the success of the kickoff- event, the concept of Moovjam School Assemblies (mini-Moovjam-events) was developed. These took place in schools, community centers, gyms, libraries. and shopping malls. Leave behind materials, such as Moovjam Exercise Videos and Books, were given away. These products were used as “leave behind materials” which serve as ongoing interactive follow-up.
• In-School Programming: Specialized Moovjam in-school curriculum programs were developed (Moovjam Kids, Moovjam Mentors and Moovjam Environment). These were available to schools and youth organizations everywhere. Moovjam Playground Games, designed to get youth active during school recesses, complement the Moovjam programs and assemblies.
• Moovjam Unites the “Moovers and Shakers”: Moovjam established an elite and influential Board of Advisors, and secured alliances and partnerships with industry leaders, hospitals, universities, and community organizations.
• Moovjam on Wheels: The concept and protocol for a Moovjam Mobile Healthy Weight Clinic and Mobile Moovjam School Assemblies were developed. These clinics and assemblies will eventually be held at schools, parks, community centers and public events, providing children and families with support, health screening, and information.
• Moovjam Winter Fitness Event: World-renowned Television and Video Producer George Athans was contracted to organize the Moovjam Winter Fitness Event in 2007. It was a tremendous success!

Since the Moovjam Annual Health and Fitness Event of 2006, and The Moovjam Winter Fitness Event 2007, at Parc Jean Drapeau, Montreal has witnessed several very productive -and concrete-health related happenings:

• Family Parks are Now Taking Action to Fight Child Obesity: After joining the Moovjam Board of Advisors, Parc Jean Drapeau’s Director developed and implemented a health-oriented mandate, and banned the sale of junk food at the park progressively over the course of three years. He used the Moovjam model to accomplish this.
• Montreal Media is Now Taking Action to Fight Child Obesity: Montreal journalists now compare well known family festivals and events to Moovjam, whose policy it is to provide children with healthy food options and “cool” or “hip” sports and exercise activities. Festivals and events that disregard the trend of child obesity, by selling fried and unhealthy foods to children, are reprimanded in local newspapers, on radio stations, and television programs. Until Moovjam, this focus on child obesity was absent in Montreal.
• Moovjam’s “No Junk Food” policy demonstrated to Montrealers that children will eat fruits and vegetables, healthy versions of their favorite foods, and drink water, when it’s made available to them (provided, of course, that there are no junk foods available for purchase).

This new media trend has forced other event producers to change their ways. The availability of junk food at Fete des Neiges, produced by Parc Jean Drapeau,  decreased by 95% in 2007. Fete  des Enfants, also produced by Parc Jean Drapeau, eliminate all fried foods since August 2007. They are using the Moovjam model to determine which food choices they offer to children each year.

• Hospitals Are Incorporating Nutritional Education and Fitness Activities at  Events -with a Focus on Children: The Sainte Justine Hospital launched Hommage des Enfants in 2007/08. It is a health and fitness event based on the Moovjam model. It takes place each 2 years, to honor and empower children through nutritional education and sports. Until Moovjam, hospital events rarely, if ever, involved educating the patients (especially children).
• Industry is Responding to the Moovjam Challenge: Executives from the music, fitness, health, medical, food and restaurant, academic, television and entertainment industry, are represented on the Moovjam Board of Advisors.

Moovjam created and piloted its Healthy Living Program in elementary schools throughout 2008/2009. With assistance and feedback from Principals, School Administrators, Teachers, Governing Boards and Home and School Associations, the program evolved to encompass everything from Structured Playground Games, to Student Leadership and Training, Online Tracking, A Snack Program, and a Grand Event.

• Moovjam partnered with LEARN, to extend the Moovjam Healthy Living Program to the hundreds of thousands of students and educators that they work with every day. LEARN is a like-minded organization, and understands the positive impact that health and fitness have on education and academic success.

Canada Is Almost There!

Canada is approaching the “tipping point” in becoming a healthy community. The Moovjam Annual Health and Fitness Event of 2006 spearheaded and drove this progress to where it is today. Moovjam plans to do much, much more. There are schools and communities all around the globe that can benefit from Moovjam’s Healthy Living Program, and we intend to find ways to reach every one of them!

The success of our Healthy Living Program will be measured, not only by the participation of children and families, but by the number of people motivated to contribute to the Moovjam mission. These contributions include community involvement, organization contributions, and the leadership of those involved. Moovjam portrays the dynamic of an evolving community, self-aware of its challenges and opportunities. Moovjam is purposefully seeking to make the world a “healthy community”.