History:
American Foundation for Preventive Medicine (AFPM) was established in 1987 to disseminate information on the benefits of exercise, sound nutrition, and prevention to youth and the general public, as well as to conduct special health initiatives and programs to achieve its mission.
AFPM is a sister organization of the nonprofit Children’s Better Health Institute (CBHI), a div of the Saturday Evening Post Society (SEPS), that launched Forever-Fit Summer Camp (FFSC) in 2011.
In 2016, the American Foundation for Preventive Medicine — with a mission shared by CBHI and SEPS — will assume oversight and operation of the Forever-Fit Summer Camp program at the Fitness Farm in Indianapolis.
Mission:
Our mission is to engage, educate, empower, and inspire youth and families to adopt regular exercise and good nutrition for a lifetime of health.
Philosophy:
The Forever Fit Camp philosophy is based on the belief that children:
- develop positive feelings of self-worth and inner-strength
- learn to interact with others, respecting their rights and feelings
- discover ways to make healthier life-long decisions
- build self-reliance and healthy independence, and
- grow toward physical, emotional, social, intellectual and spiritual maturity…
In an atmosphere of structured, evidence-based programs, with emphasis on freedom with responsibility, and under the guidance of caring adults who guide children to make decisions as they learn about living a healthier lifestyle.
In the Media
Testimonials
- Campers–
- “Exercising is easy.”
- “I learned too much of a good thing can be bad.”
- “Having a healthy life has so many benefits, and having an unhealthy life can lead to so many health problems.”
- “The thing I learned is how to try new things and how to eat healthier.”
- “What I learned from this camp is about portion sizes and playing for at least one hour a day.”
- “Physical activity is fun.”
- “I am more energized, and I sleep better.”
- “I feel better.”
- “I tried spinach, eggplant, mango, blueberries, and honeydew. They taste yummy!”
- “Exercise is fun.”
- “I learned different ways to work your heart and muscles.”
- “I learned to eat healthy, read calories, and read nutrition facts.”
- Guardians–
- “I noticed my child’s excitement when it’s time to come to camp.”
- “It was beneficial for my daughter to spend a lot of time with other children who struggle in the same ways as her. It was also helpful in making her more accountable for her behavior daily.”
- “I hadn’t realized how serious his obesity was. I have a much better understanding of his struggle.”
- “The support groups/parent nights help out a lot.”
- “We’ve learned how to keep her active without her realizing she’s becoming physically fit.”
- “Parents aren’t alone and we need to reach out for help.”
- Professionals–
- “I don’t think there is anything like this program in the country,” – Dr. Sandeep Gupta, Indiana University, professor of clinical pediatrics, Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health: