RICHMOND – On Wednesday, November 13, more than 500 early care providers and 200 schools, after-school programs, and community centers throughout Virginia will participate in the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth’s annual Rev Your Bev Day by promoting drinking water as a healthy beverage choice.

First Lady of Virginia Pamela Northam will kick off the statewide celebration by leading activities in Richmond. “As a former pediatric occupational therapist and science educator, I have made the health and well-being of Virginia’s children my priority as First Lady,” said First Lady Northam. “Research proves that the earlier we can instill healthy habits, like drinking water, the better we are setting our children up for health and success in life. I commend the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth for their promotion of healthy beverage education and important advocacy for Virginia’s youth.”

Rev Your Bev Day participants cover 150+ different zip codes in Virginia and include Head Start programs, Virginia Preschool Initiative participants, family providers, child care centers, schools, after-school programs, and community centers. Rev Your Bev is a statewide initiative in Virginia to raise awareness about the importance of healthy hydration via classroom lessons and community activities.

The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth (VFHY) has hosted Rev Your Bev Day since 2013 and has sponsored more than 2,500 local events to engage the public with the importance of making healthy beverage choices.

“It is energizing to see hundreds of these events scheduled for today that promote youth making healthy choices. Learning about healthier beverages now, like fruit-infused water, empowers children down the road to continue to make healthy choices for themselves and their families,” says VFHY Executive Director Marty Kilgore.

Early childhood education and community stakeholders have partnered together to create age-appropriate educational tools, provide training and tools for child care directors, conduct outreach for Rev Your Bev Day, and expand the reach of healthy hydration messages statewide.  Resources can be downloaded for free at RevYourBev.com.

Rev Your Bev Day brings together many partners including the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, Child Care Aware of Virginia, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Department of Social Services, Virginia Head Start, the Virginia Health Catalyst, and others.

“Good nutrition, including healthy beverages, is critical to a strong start for young children,” says Kathy Glazer, President of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation. “VECF is delighted to partner with VFHY in bringing Rev Your Bev to hundreds of early care providers across Virginia who support children’s healthy development and school readiness every day.”

About the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth (VFHY)

Established by the Virginia General Assembly in 1999, the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth empowers Virginia’s youth to make healthy choices by reducing and preventing youth tobacco use, substance use and childhood obesity. Since the Foundation began its work in 2001, high school smoking in Virginia has been cut by more than 70 percent and the number of middle school smokers has dropped by 85 percent. The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth directly reaches about 50,000 children each year through classroom-based prevention programs in public schools, after-school programs, community centers, day cares and prevention programs across the state. VFHY’s award-winning marketing campaigns deliver prevention messaging to more than 500,000 children annually.

About Rev Your Bev Day

Rev Your Bev is a Virginia statewide campaign to improve the health of all Virginians by encouraging individuals to drink more water. To learn more about Rev Your Bev Day and to see a full list of events statewide, visit RevYourBev.com/Day.

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