Trenton, NJ- The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey recently contributed a $15,000 grant to the Women's Heart Foundation (WHF) in support of its Teen Esteem program. The grant represents the 5th year of support for the work of the WHF in implementing a wellness and prevention program for sophomore girls attending Trenton Central High School. "These teen girls are faced with many more challenges in their daily lives than teens even a decade earlier. Many are from single-parent households with a parent working more than one job just to put food on the table. Some teens are responsible for caring for younger siblings after school and some have part-time jobs. Since many of the girls already have several risk factors for heart disease, it is imperative that we have an intervention program to help reduce their risks."

The Women's Heart Foundation Teen Esteem program was started in 2003 with $70,000 in seed money provided by the former New Jersey Office on Women's Health. The program represents a public-private-nonprofit collaboration and is co-managed by the WHF. In September 2009, the program entered its 6th year. Teen Esteem is instituted as an elective gym-alternative class.

For more information about the Teen Esteem program, contact Bonnie@womensheart.org.

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