HBO launches Portland campaign to change “The Weight of the Nation”

Portland, May 1st. HBO held a kick-off an event at James John Elementary School on North Charleston Avenue as part of the May 14th premier of its four-part documentary series, “The Weight of the Nation”.  At the event, the school’s wellness leader, Jane Harold, presented the Oregon Wellness Awards to Xitlalic Guzman and Cielo del Rosario James.  HBO created the program  in collaboration with Whole Kids Foundation and GLOBALTAP. John Elementary is one of many, in twelve cities across the nation, to receive salad bars and water taps in an effort to help combat childhood obesity.

Supporters celebrated the healthy new cafeteria additions at the event and saw a screening of the upcoming HBO program. “The Weight of the Nation” premieres Monday, May 14th at 8PM. All of the documentaries will be made available in English and Spanish, and will stream free of charge on HBO.com. 

Many local community activists joined kids, including:  School Board Director Gitta Grether-Sweeney, Nutrition Services Director Beth Shelby, Principal Joyce Dougherty, and Oregon Department of Education Child Nutrition Ann Goetze. 

From HBO: The campaign is tied to the premiere of HBO’s THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION, comprised of a four-part documentary series, a three-part series for families, 12 bonus shorts, and a nationwide community-based outreach campaign to support the initiative. THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION is a presentation of HBO and the Institute of Medicine (IOM), in association with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and in partnership with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and Kaiser Permanente.