Aetna is excited to support Children’s National Medical Center’s ‘Start Early, Start Right’ program. By providing a comprehensive, family-based approach, we believe the program can make great strides toward the prevention of obesity among Latino pre-school children in the Washington area.

-- Dr. William Fried, Aetna Medical Director for the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region.

The former Chairman of Aetna and the Commission on Private Philanthropy and Public Needs, John H. Filer strongly believed that corporations have an obligation to their communities. In 1972, Filer created the Aetna Foundation, with the conviction that both giving and volunteering are vital to building and maintaining healthy communities.

In 2004, the Aetna Foundation awarded a $40,000 grant to Children’s National Medical Center’s Adolescent Dental Project. Most recently in 2008, the Aetna Foundation provided $50,000 to Children’s National for its Start Early, Start Right program. The program promotes healthy eating habits, increased physical activity and decreased sedentary behavior among Latino preschool children and their families. The project also improves parents’ skills by enabling them to monitor children's diets, serve healthier meals at home, and increase families' physical activity levels.

In addition, Children's National and Aetna have developed a collaborative arrangement to more effectively manage Aetna's inpatient population at the hospital.

Contact Barbara Schroeder at Children's National Medical Center for help in shaping and implementing a program in your workplace or company.