Kids Unite

A new wearable-for-good band gets kids active — all while helping malnourished children around the world.

December 1st, 2015 by: Misty Miloto

Statistics show that one in four American kids are not active enough, while one in four kids globally are malnourished, according to UNICEF. And, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s 2011 report, F is for Fat, Louisiana is the fifth most overweight state in the country and has the fourth-highest rate of childhood obesity. Now there is a new wearable-for-good band, dubbed the UNICEF Kid Power Band, that addresses both childhood obesity and world hunger.

The way it works is simple: Kids wear the fitness band, which they can use with the free Kid Power companion app; they go on missions through the app, learning about new cultures and earning points for completing activities and challenges; and then the points unlock therapeutic food packets that UNICEF then delivers to severely malnourished children around the world. So essentially, the more that kids are active, the more healthy they become, the more points they earn and the more lives they save. Guests can also follow along on the UNICEF Kid Power Website to track the impact made by kids all over the United States.

The UNICEF Kid Power Bands retail for $40 and are available in blue or orange, or in two special Star Wars: Force for Change editions in black and white. They are available exclusively at target.com and will also be available in local Target stores in early 2016. unicefkidpower.org