Educating consumers about how to best maintain a balanced lifestyle is the clear way to address a complex societal challenge like obesity. One of the most effective ways we can reach children and parents with this message is to support public servants who partner with community organizations to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people. No group is better suited to do that than America’s mayors.

For the fourth year, the beverage industry is joining forces with The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) to fund grants that will help mayors with innovative ideas for fighting obesity put their plans into action in their cities and towns. With the support of the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America, the USCM’s Childhood Obesity Prevention Program will award a total of $445,000 in grants to six cities to strengthen new and existing programs initiated by USCM member mayors.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2016 Childhood Obesity Prevention Awards. Cities interested in submitting an application should download the application instructions and make sure to get their submissions in by the Sept. 16, 2015, deadline.

The winners of the 2015 Childhood Obesity Prevention Awards – Green Bay, Wisc.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Lima, Ohio; New Haven, Conn.; North Miami, Fla., and Seattle – have all created innovative programs to fight childhood obesity. The grants are helping the mayors of these cities expand programs that range from teaching teens how to cook healthy meals to creative promotions urging balance.

Our industry believes that public-private partnerships that put accurate information on balance in the hands of consumers is key to combatting obesity. Programs like this have a lasting impact on communities and exemplify how we are truly an industry that supports the communities in which we live, work and play.

To learn more on how our industry delivers, visit DeliveringChoices.org.