Active Plus on News PIX11

Obesity affects 1 in 5 children and adolescents in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many children in the city are at a disadvantage when it comes to health and nutrition and this has become even more apparent as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Although the pandemic has sidelined schools from continuing with physical education programs, Active Plus is determined to help children lead a healthy lifestyle.

The nonprofit organization was co-founded by Tarik Kitson in 2015. With the help of social media and word of mouth, the former collegiate athlete went from volunteering in the community to working with over 30 New York City schools.

When COVID-19 forced schools to close their doors in March, Kitson and the Active Plus team didn’t miss a beat. Even though their in person workouts have been put on hold, they continue virtual lessons in an effort to maintain social distance.

The program has led to many success stories, including Freiling Jimenez. After graduating high school this year, he plans to play baseball at Monroe College in the fall on an athletic scholarship while majoring in sports management. Jimenez said he’ll take the lessons learned from Active Plus with him as he embarks on the next chapter of his life.