Los Angeles Unified School District has received a $10,000 'Hometown Grant' to expand student health and wellness in partnership with America's Dairy Farmers and the Los Angeles Rams through the Fuel Up to Play 60 program (FUTP 60). The $10,000 'Hometown Grant' was awarded during a virtual school assembly on February 22 for 96th Street Elementary students that featured Rams Punter JOHNNY HEKKER.

"In a school such as ours where 100% of our students qualify for free/reduced priced lunch, partnerships such as this that help increase nutrition and physical activity for students are vital," said Dr. Christine Sanders, Principal of 96th St. Elementary.

The 'Hometown Grant' will allow students at 96th Street to join the 14 million students who are eating healthier, 18 million students who are being more active, and 130,000 adults who are empowering youth in the United States through the FUTP 60 program.

"America's dairy farmers are dedicated to helping build healthier kids and communities. Kids who eat well and are physically active do better in school and in life," said Alyssa McClelland, Fuel Up to Play 60 Manager in CA. "Now more than ever, students need access to nutritious food and physical activity. This partnership with the Los Angeles Rams helps to bring much needed resources into deserving school districts like LAUSD and fuels greatness in our youth."

Developed by FUTP 60 and the National Football League (NFL), the 'Hometown Grant' program provides teams and farmer-funded dairy organizations the opportunity to identify deserving schools and school districts and provide them with funding to help meet their health and wellness goals. Each of the 32 NFL Clubs are partnering with FUTP 60 and local dairy representatives to provide $10,000 grants in communities throughout the country, resulting in a $320,000 investment for youth health and wellness.

"We are so appreciative of America's Dairy Farmers and our continued partnership to support Los Angeles schools and the students they serve," said Hekker. "In a time when students and teachers are adapting to change, we believe it's essential to identify the immediate needs of our school communities and we hope this year's grant can provide resourceful tools to address the challenges facing Los Angeles Unified students."

Created in partnership by the NFL and National Dairy Council, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fuel Up to Play 60 is the nation's largest in-school wellness program creating real transformational change in more than 73,000 schools nationwide. The national in-school nutrition and physical-activity program is activated in California by the state's more than 1,300 dairy farm families. Since fall 2014, FUTP 60 has helped to award more than $700,000 in equipment and grants to schools throughout California in support of their wellness goals.

For more information about the Rams' community outreach efforts, please visit www.therams.com/community.