Website Spotlight: STARcise

I received the following information and wanted to share.

South Florida-based STARcise is on a mission to educate children and families about the importance of a healthy lifestyle by participating in the Pepsi Refresh Project campaign in January. The Pepsi program, which provides $1.3 million in grants to worthy endeavors each month, will provide The Diabetic Foundation the opportunity to open its flagship STARcise Children’s Fitness Center.

The objective is to reach underprivileged families and provide a place where preschool aged children can learn healthy eating habits and exciting music-centered exercises through a targeted Children’s Fitness Center called STARcise. Through STARcise, children learn to positive ways to be a STAR: Smart, Talented, Athletic and Respected ©.


The STARcise project is just one of the nominated projects that can be voted on at www.refresheverything.com/starcise during the month of January. It will compete in the $50,000 grant category and can be linked to Facebook for easy voting. If STARcise wins, it plans on using the grant money to open its first STARcise location in the city of North Miami and further its mission: to support underprivileged families whose children are suffering from Juvenile Diabetes, teach children about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and spread the message that obesity, heart disease and diabetes can be avoided by committing to eating right and being active at an early age.

The Pepsi Refresh Project accepts submissions from organizations that will have a positive impact in the community. Visitors to the website may vote up to 10 times a day for their favorite idea. Submissions cover a variety of categories ranging from health and education to the arts and environment.

STARcise Director Maxine Haber hopes that spreading the message of “Prevention Through Education” will result in her proposal staying in the lead during the month-long grant competition. In addition to opening a children fitness center in North Miami, Haber’s long-term goal is producing a mobile program that can bring STARcise classes to preschools and daycare centers in lower-income neighborhoods.

“I am thankful for everyone’s support so far. As a mother of two young girls and a certified Youth Fitness Instructor, I have seen firsthand the powerful influence that learning healthy habits can have on impressionable young children. That’s why I began developing the STARcise project,” Haber says. “The STARcise Project allows us to show kids that being healthy and active can be fun and lead to a long, fulfilling life. I am excited and thankful for the opportunity that Pepsi is giving us.”