Initiative: Health and Nutrition Education Campaign
Mission
Through this campaign, we provide underprivileged student-athletes and underserved youth with nutrition education and tangible community support to make informed, healthy choices and reach their full potential.
Focuses:
- Educate students on balanced diets, hydration, and performance-focused eating habits.
- Raise awareness about the intersection of food, equity, and athletic performance.
- Bridge gaps in food access by collaborating with schools, local restaurants, and community partners in low-income areas.
Current Initiative: Fueling Access for Athletes
As part of this campaign, Eat Train Perform works directly with schools and local restaurants in underserved Michigan communities to distribute free or reduced-cost, performance-supportive meals to student-athletes. The initiative also organizes in-school and community information sessions that examine food inequality and translate nutrition science into practical guidance athletes can apply in their daily training and recovery.
Through these efforts, we work to remove cost and access barriers that limit students’ ability to acces nutritious foods and fuel properly. By combining meal access with education, the initiative ensures that nutrition supports athletic performance, health, and long-term opportunity.
Food insecurity is addressed at the community level through sustained partnerships with food banks, secondary schools, and local organizations; targeted resource development; and hands-on education, making nutrition not only more accessible, but understandable, usable, and empowering for every student-athlete.
Key Goals
- Partner with local schools and athletic departments to integrate nutrition education into team programs. - Work with restaurants and local food providers to supply affordable, nutritious meals to student-athletes in underserved regions. - Develop educational resources to make nutrition guidance simple and actionable. - Advocate for nutrition equity through community outreach and engagement with state and national organizations.
Target Regions
Eat Train Perform operates across Michigan with a focus on communities facing disproportionate barriers to food access and athletic resources. Our regional work is intentionally phased—beginning with active partnerships and expanding through identified high-need districts. Current Partner Regions (Active Programming): These regions represent communities where Eat Train Perform is already engaged through meal access initiatives, school collaboration, and nutrition education programming: Detroit | Washtenaw Schools include: Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School | Mumford High School | Pershing High School | Western International High School | Ann Arbor Skyline | Ann Arbor Pioneer | Ann Arbor Greenhills | Ann Arbor Huron High School | Saline High School | Jackson High School
Expansion & Priority Regions (2026–2027)
The following cities, counties, and school districts have been identified using state and federal low-income indicators and will be prioritized for future partnerships, programming, and resource deployment:
2026 Updated List of Recognized Low-Income Michigan Cities/Counties and High Schools