(NewsUSA) - Development Program

New Partnership Offers HVAC Training in Spanish

The US Census Bureau reports that approximately 20% of the US population is Hispanic and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 30% of construction workers are Hispanic.  As baby boomers reach retirement age, Latino workers play an increasingly crucial role in keeping the dynamism of the US labor market and for many of them, having options to education in their native language is critical for developing skills that make them employable.

Since its inception in 2010, Centro Educativo Latino at Lenoir Community College (LCC), in Lenoir County, North Carolina, has become a cornerstone for the Hispanic community, offering over 70 Spanish-language workforce development courses in high-demand trades. 

Carlos Cotto, the Director of Centro Educativo Latino and LCC's Associate Dean of Workforce Development and Latino Programs began his mission to help more Latinos feel welcomed at the college, turning access into more economic opportunities in the state.

“It's sad to say, but the Latino population has never had access to a good, higher education….. they’d be taught at churches, libraries, or a little trailer on the side of the college campus. My intention with CEL was to create a college within a college welcoming the underserved population in their native language.”

A One-of-a-Kind HVAC Program

Recently Interplay Learning, the leading provider of immersive skilled trades training, joined forces with LCC to advance the mission of Centro Educativo Latino, its workforce development program, and increase access to the nation’s first North American Technician Excellence (NATE) HVAC certification hybrid program in Spanish. 

The integration of Interplay’s trades training has elevated the impact of its 200+ hour associate degree program, incorporating online courses and the latest in 3D simulation and VR training technology, presented entirely in Spanish.   

Along with its catalog of online courses, the VR training provided by Interplay is also available to students through the school’s VR headsets, which they cast onto screens during weekend labs, creating a field-like virtual reality environment that enhances safety, engagement and hands-on learning experiences. This dynamic approach puts theory into practice, addressing language barriers and caters to diverse learning styles.  Students get hands-on practice with a wide variety of scenarios and equipment types in a safe, no-fail environment.  

A Model for Equitable Education

This approach to learning marks a tide change in technical education, bridging the gap between theory and practice with innovative opportunities once typically reserved for English-led trade programs.  

Cotto says, "This partnership with Interplay Learning is a significant step forward in providing our students with courses that reinforce NATE and offer the best cutting-edge 3D simulation and VR training in their native language. This comprehensive education ensures they are industry-certified and just as prepared for the demands of rewarding careers and entrepreneurship as their Anglo peers."

Centro Educativo Latino extends its commitment beyond linguistic accessibility by providing an affordable and flexible hybrid model of HVAC instruction, blending Interplay’s online coursework and in-person labs. 

The program addresses the needs of parents and individuals working full-time by offering four hands-on weekend classes, serving approximately 120 students. A sliding-scale pricing model, supported by generous scholarships like Train the East, ensures that education remains financially accessible, reducing student fees to about 3% of comparative state-funded programs. The in-demand program reaches 29 surrounding counties, with its popularity drawing students who travel from out-of-state to participate in the always-full program. Cotto breaks down the costs,

"Our HVAC program adds up to about 240 hours of online and in-person instruction and costs about 3% of the cost of similar state-funded programs. We provide all tools and materials at no extra cost, plus access to college, state, and NATE certifications, ensuring comprehensive value for our students.”

88% of students willingly drive up to 2.5 hours for this program, underlining the dedication and enthusiasm for this valuable educational opportunity. Additionally, the hybrid instructional model has acted as supplemental support for program instructors, enabling their main HVAC instructor, Henry Perez, to expand his mentorship and impact to more students. This past year, Perez received an award for one of HVAC Excellence’s top 25 Most Influential Instructors for 2024. 

Program Outcomes 

Steady Enrollment 

The popular program has continued to attract students from surrounding counties and out-of-state, with enrollment holding steady at 30 students per class. With four classes per weekend, the program averages about 120 students per semester.

Industry-Certified Graduates

99% of students graduate from the program, with 100% obtaining their NATE Core Certification and state EPA, along with various Interplay certifications across HVAC, plumbing, and electrical, enhancing their employability and career prospects. 

Strategic Partnerships and Entrepreneurship

The program has established strong relationships with local employers who value the skills and certifications of Centro Educativo Latino graduates, leading to 100% of grads going on to work in the trades. Cotto is particularly proud to share the story of two young women who recently completed the program with honors and are now enjoying a better socioeconomic standard of living, boasting newly attained annual salaries starting at $62,000 a year.  

Cotto explains, “When students show up to local employers with three community college certificates, NATE, the State EPA certification, and a portfolio of about 34 Interplay HVAC certificates, the employer says to us, ‘We need more of these people.’ So we stay well-connected and funnel our students into the workforce when they meet employers' qualifications.”

Cotto also weaves in classes in entrepreneurship to prepare students to start their own trade businesses, which 75-80% of students completing the program have gone on to do. 

“For the longest time, the Latino community never had a place to go for higher education in the skilled trades,” notes Carlos Cotto, director of Centro Educativo Latino and LCC’s associate dean of workforce development and Latino programs. “This partnership with Interplay Learning is a significant step forward in providing our students with comprehensive, cutting-edge 3D simulation and VR training in their native language, ensuring they are industry-certified and well-prepared for the demands of rewarding careers and entrepreneurship.”

The collaboration between LCC and Interplay Learning empowers more individuals within the Latino community to access and excel in trades education. Not only is the program opening doors to new economic opportunities, but it's fostering a more skilled and diverse workforce.

“Empowering the Latino community through accessible trades education aligns seamlessly with our mission,” said Doug Donovan, CEO and founder of Interplay Learning. “We believe in the transformative power of education and technology, and this collaboration exemplifies our commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the workforce.'”

About Centro Educativo Latino 

With a mission to bridge gaps and empower Hispanic individuals, the Centro Educativo Latino at Lenoir Community College is a pivotal resource for the Spanish-speaking community, offering quality education in their native language.  The program provides Spanish-language courses in workforce development fields like HVAC, welding, and cosmetology, along with ESL classes. Serving over 2,000 students in the last two years significantly increased Latino enrollment at the college, fostering a sense of community and belonging. This initiative underscores Lenoir Community College’s dedication to inclusivity and creating educational opportunities for diverse student populations.

About Interplay Learning

Austin-based Interplay Learning is the industry leader in immersive training solutions for the skilled trades. Interplay’s acclaimed SkillMill training platform enables rapid upskilling and empowers new technicians to be job-ready within weeks, not years. Featuring expert-led videos, hands-on 3D simulations, knowledge checks, and personalized learning paths, SkillMill is more scalable and engaging than traditional training. Leveraging advanced technologies like AI and VR, Interplay is reshaping the future of online skilled trades training, delivering highly effective learning experiences that result in better careers and better lives. 

Recent accolades include Forbes’ 2023 America’s Best Startup Employers, 2022 Inc. 5000 list, 2022 Inc. Best in Business list, and three honorable mentions in Fast Company’s 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards. Visit www.interplaylearning.com to learn more.

(NewsUSA) - As a significant portion of the U.S. population ages, a significant transfer of wealth to younger generations is occurring. However, many families have not discussed inheritance plans, and many younger generations may find themselves unprepared, according to new research from Edward Jones, a leading financial services firm.

In fact, 35% of Americans surveyed by Edward Jones said they did not plan to discuss transfer of wealth with their families, despite 48% saying that they planned to leave an inheritance.

“We know it can be extremely uncomfortable and nearly impossible to separate emotions from the financial decisions necessary when planning inheritance and wealth transfer, particularly as givers navigate family priorities beyond finances,” said Lena Haas, Head of Wealth Management Advice and Solutions at Edward Jones. “However, the wealth transfer is well underway, so it’s more important than ever to connect as a family, with the experienced guidance of a financial professional to help navigate the emotions and educate on the process.”

The so-called “great wealth transfer” from the Silent Generation and the Baby Boomers will vary, as people live longer and may delay retirement. Edward Jones’ research revealed four scenarios:

Traditional Giving. Older adults transfer wealth through a combination of assets, cash, equities, and real estate.

Giving While Living. Older adults support their families in the moment, paying for family experiences, contributing to education or purchasing homes. However, this strategy may force younger generations to return the favor and support parents in retirement.

Skipping a Generation. Some older adults skip over their adult children and transfer wealth to grandchildren, often in the form of education or future security, but this can lead to hurt feelings and strained relations with adult children who do not directly benefit from this wealth transfer.

No Inheritance. Older adults are living longer, and a combination of more active lifestyles for more years after retirement and/or the expenses of long-term health care means that in some families, little wealth will be left to transfer.

The survey, a joint effort between Edward Jones, Morning Consult and NEXT360 Partners, LLC, a global action research and strategy consultancy, was conducted online between December 28-29, 2023, and included a national sample of 2,202 adults.

According to the survey, only 25% of individuals who receive an inheritance feel prepared to manage it.

Working with an experienced advisor can help, and 57% of those surveyed said that working with a financial professional to guide discussions of wealth transfer and inheritance in advance would facilitate planning and family consensus.

Visit www.edwardjones.com/estateplanning for more information about wealth transfer and financial planning.

(NewsUSA) - More than a third of the country’s workforce is working remotely. Business deals are being made virtually, leadership teams recording their all-staff presentations from the home office or hotel room, and social media staff are creating content on the go. Yet, with this flexibility comes significant business challenges. 

Executives want to ensure customer satisfaction in online meeting platforms and training modules as well as provide tools to their teams to create clear, distraction-free content. The challenge remains, how do virtual or hybrid teams maintain consistent quality with work-from-home distractions like dogs, kids, and other noise? For Tel-Aviv-based company, insoundz, generative AI is the answer.

“Generative AI Audio Enhancement is you only better. It is your voice without any of the distractions,” said Emil Winebrand, Co-Founder and CEO of insoundz. “Where predictive AI is trained to get the business the ‘right answer’ for an input. It is trained to be precise and deterministic; sometimes that's not enough. You may want your AI agent to create, without a clear deterministic input. That’s where Generative AI comes in.”

How does it work? As described on indsoundz website, “Our patented solution takes streamed or pre-recorded audio and video, then applies generative AI signal processing to output the same streams with greatly increased studio-like audio sound and proximity effect.”

Winebrand’s team works with businesses to correct any sound environment so companies keep the sound they want and remove everything else. With a longstanding history serving companies in the media and entertainment space, insoundz is now working with more B2B and B2C businesses asking for custom solutions. 

“We have more businesses coming to us because they are interested in improving their communication efficiency and productivity,” said Winebrand. For some, this will look like improved internal meeting presentations developing a deeper connection to remote employees. For others, this has a direct link to sales. Forbes contributor William Arruda said it best: “Despite having years to get good at online meetings and presentations, most salespeople aren’t fully skilled at captivating online.” insoundz believes their generative AI solution is the answer for many sales, executive, and even large-scale SaaS platforms.

Is generative AI the solution for all our remote and hybrid business challenges? Probably not, but like many AI applications it does offer time saving solutions to businesses looking for efficiencies without sacrificing quality. 

(NewsUSA) - Hosting an Easter brunch or other spring gathering? What better way to top off an event than with a showstopping dessert! The baking experts at Wesson created a new bundt cake with a twist on the popular surprise cake trend. It’s easy to make, and as delicious as it is impressive. 

Wesson oil is the secret ingredient that makes this cake taste like it was made by a professional pastry chef. It creates a light, moist texture that lets the crunch and flavor of the pistachio honey fillings sing. A simple glaze gives it a sweet touch and the gold leaf takes this cake to the next level. Simply fill the open center with spring candies like mini chocolate eggs or jelly beans and you have a beautiful party finale to wow your guests!

Check out this easy recipe and video:  

WESSON EASY EASTER SURPRISE BUNDT CAKE 

Ingredients

For the cake: 

3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 

3 teaspoons baking powder 

½ teaspoon kosher salt  

3 cups granulated sugar 

¾ cup Wesson oil 

1 ½ cups milk 

6 eggs 

For the filling:  

1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons chopped, shelled, raw pistachios 

¼ cup flour 

2 tablespoons honey 

2 tablespoons Wesson oil  

For the glaze:  

1 cup powdered sugar 

2 tablespoons milk 

Edible gold flake, for sprinkling on top 

Easter candies to fill center of cake when displayed 

Directions:  

Making the cake:

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan. 

In a large bowl, whisk together, flour, baking powder and salt until well combined. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine sugar, Wesson oil, eggs, and vanilla; mix well.  

On medium speed, in four stages, add flour mixture alternating with milk, blending after each addition, ending with flour. Pour half of the batter into the pan and set aside. Next, make the filling. 

Adding the filling:

In a medium bowl, mix 1 ½ cup pistachios, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 2 tablespoons of Wesson Canola Oil. Combine filling ingredients and mix well. Spoon the filling evenly over the surface of the batter in the pan. Top with remaining batter. Bake the cake in the center of oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. 

Remove cake from oven; cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Carefully turn cake out onto serving platter and cool completely.  

TIP: If cake does not turn out easily, gently run a knife around the outside edge of the cake. 

Creating the glaze:

In medium bowl, combine 1 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar) and 2 tbsp of 3% milk. Stir until smooth. Spoon icing onto top of cooled Bundt cake and allow to glaze to dry for 15 minutes. 

The finishing touch:

Decorate cake with flakes of gold leaf and chopped pistachios. Fill center of the Bundt with your favorite Easter candies. Cut the cake in front of your guests to wow them with an outpouring of sweet treats and serve. To view the recipe online, visit purewesson.com.

(NewsUSA) - Spring is here, with milder weather, more hours of daylight, and many opportunities to gather with family and friends. Spring is the perfect time to savor life’s sweetness — not only the special occasions that come with the season, but also the everyday moments that make memories to cherish for years to come.

Photos are one of the most popular ways to capture memories, and today’s digital tools make the process even smoother. Use these simple strategies to save, access, and share the photos that tell the story of your life so you can savor springtime with family and friends, both now and in the years to come as you revisit past memories.

• Organize your albums. Albums are great way to savor memories. Albums can be based on time (springtime), event (spring break vacation), or theme (baseball, family reunion, etc.). Finding your favorite photos from the sea of digital images on your phone might seem daunting, but Amazon Photos makes this job easy. You can search and find your favorite photos based on several features including Date Taken, Things, People, and Places, then sort them into titled albums for easy access. 
   
• Highlight special events. To preserve a memorable event, the Memories feature on Amazon Photos creates custom slide shows that are easy to view and share. Make a slideshow of your child’s Easter egg hunt, their first spring concert, or simply the wildflowers in bloom during the season’s first thaw.
   
• Travel through time. Want to look back at wedding, graduation, or birthday party memories? Amazon Photos’ “This Day” feature makes it easy to remember and share how you and your loved ones have grown and changed year by year. What graduate wouldn’t appreciate a walk down memory lane looking at all of their first-day-of-school photos?
   
• Share your memories. Not every photo needs to end up on social media — sometimes, you just want to share it with your loved ones. With Amazon Photos, you can create private sharing groups that allow a specific set of people to be able to view and share photos amongst themselves through Groups to gather their photos in one place.

Visit amazonphotos.com to sign up and start organizing, searching, and sharing your photos today. Make the most of your photos and enjoy your memories this spring and beyond. Amazon Prime members get unlimited photo storage and non-Prime members get up to 5 GB of storage for free. The Amazon Photos app is available on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.

(NewsUSA) - Hosting an Easter brunch or other spring gathering? What better way to top off an event than with a showstopping dessert! The baking experts at Wesson created a new bundt cake with a twist on the popular surprise cake trend. It’s easy to make, and as delicious as it is impressive. 

Wesson oil is the secret ingredient that makes this cake taste like it was made by a professional pastry chef. It creates a light, moist texture that lets the crunch and flavor of the pistachio honey fillings sing. A simple glaze gives it a sweet touch and the gold leaf takes this cake to the next level. Simply fill the open center with spring candies like mini chocolate eggs or jelly beans and you have a beautiful party finale to wow your guests!

Check out this easy recipe and video:  

WESSON EASY EASTER SURPRISE BUNDT CAKE 

Ingredients

For the cake: 

3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 

3 teaspoons baking powder 

½ teaspoon kosher salt  

3 cups granulated sugar 

¾ cup Wesson oil 

1 ½ cups milk 

6 eggs 

For the filling:  

1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons chopped, shelled, raw pistachios 

¼ cup flour 

2 tablespoons honey 

2 tablespoons Wesson oil  

For the glaze:  

1 cup powdered sugar 

2 tablespoons milk 

Edible gold flake, for sprinkling on top 

Easter candies to fill center of cake when displayed 

Directions:  

Making the cake:

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan. 

In a large bowl, whisk together, flour, baking powder and salt until well combined. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine sugar, Wesson oil, eggs, and vanilla; mix well.  

On medium speed, in four stages, add flour mixture alternating with milk, blending after each addition, ending with flour. Pour half of the batter into the pan and set aside. Next, make the filling. 

Adding the filling:

In a medium bowl, mix 1 ½ cup pistachios, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 2 tablespoons of Wesson Canola Oil. Combine filling ingredients and mix well. Spoon the filling evenly over the surface of the batter in the pan. Top with remaining batter. Bake the cake in the center of oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. 

Remove cake from oven; cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Carefully turn cake out onto serving platter and cool completely.  

TIP: If cake does not turn out easily, gently run a knife around the outside edge of the cake. 

Creating the glaze:

In medium bowl, combine 1 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar) and 2 tbsp of 3% milk. Stir until smooth. Spoon icing onto top of cooled Bundt cake and allow to glaze to dry for 15 minutes. 

The finishing touch:

Decorate cake with flakes of gold leaf and chopped pistachios. Fill center of the Bundt with your favorite Easter candies. Cut the cake in front of your guests to wow them with an outpouring of sweet treats and serve. To view the recipe online, visit purewesson.com.

(NewsUSA) - Literacy is the foundation for success in life, but many children across the United States lack access to age-appropriate books. That is why the Marine Toys for Tots Literacy Program is committed to providing books and educational resources to children living in low-income communities and helping them turn the page on poverty.  

Most people know Toys for Tots as the organization that brings holiday cheer to children in need with gifts of new toys, but Toys for Tots also brings hope and support to these children throughout the year with initiatives such as the Toys for Tots Literacy Program.  

Unfortunately, 37% of children in the United States lack access to age-appropriate reading materials at home. During National Reading Month, Toys for Tots wants every child to experience the joy of reading and turn the page on poverty. 

“By getting books into the hands of struggling students, we are helping children become their best selves,” said LtGen Jim Laster, USMC (Retired), President and CEO of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.  “Our goal is to dramatically change the landscape for economically disadvantaged children and provide to the essential tools to ensure their future success,” he added. 

The Toys for Tots Literacy Program was established in 2008 as a year-round effort to offer our Nation’s most economically disadvantaged children the ability to compete academically and to succeed in life by providing them direct access to books and educational resources that enhance their ability to read and communicate effectively. Since the Program’s inception, over 57 million books have been provided to children living in low-income areas – turning the page on poverty, one book at a time.  

“This Program not only brings the joy of reading to these children, but it also serves as an important instrument in breaking the cycle of poverty,” said LtGen Laster. 

The message is simple: Get books into the hands of economically disadvantaged children. Please know that 100% of any donations are used to deliver books to children and promote the joy of reading! Visit toysfortots.org to donate today. Hope is just a book away! 

(NewsUSA) - Small businesses in rural America face challenges their urban counterparts don’t. This sector is an important part of the U.S. economy and provides critical support to rural communities. A major obstacle is limited access to high-speed internet. Consider the many ways a business might depend on internet access for success. Here are some example functions:

• Transaction processing: This is important for everyone—from small retail outlets to remote tourist destinations.
• E-commerce: Rural small businesses export everything from specialty foods to niche industrial products, and connectivity can help them reach customers anywhere.
• Global sourcing of needed components: Robust rural connectivity can open small businesses to global markets and help them find the best products and prices for value-added operations.
• Online learning or training: Rural populations are often far removed from formal training facilities, and high-speed internet can help people learn important skills by watching instructional videos on platforms like YouTube.
• Customer Wi-Fi: This is an important service to customers in a waiting area at a doctor’s office or auto repair shop.
• Tracking shipments: Given their remote location, small rural businesses often rely on deliveries—both sending and receiving—even more than urban ones.
• Customer communication: Clients and customers everywhere increasingly expect timely business communications.
• Booking a table at a restaurant: Tourism is a major economic driver for rural areas, and the businesses that make transactions low friction have a competitive advantage.

Conventional options for connectivity—like fiber optics, cable, or 5G—are often not available in rural areas. The build-out for these services requires a population density and subscriber base that will justify the costs. Rural communities generally don’t meet the requirements and, thus don’t receive access.

Hughesnet has satellite connectivity solutions for rural small businesses that are both affordable and reliable. The Hughesnet Select Pro and Elite Pro service plans deliver high-speed internet with unlimited data wherever businesses operate, no matter how remote. Plus, with tasks that require significant bandwidth and computing power, like cloud-based or collaboration applications, businesses can now stay connected with Hughesnet Fusion Pro, which combines satellite and wireless technology for low-latency connectivity.

And just as important as a primary connectivity hookup, it’s crucial to have internet continuity through a backup in case that primary source goes down from weather or accidents. For rural businesses that already have a primary internet provider but are looking for additional options, Hughesnet Internet Continuity is an internet backup service for rural businesses that is ideal for when a primary connection is lost or interrupted.

Running a small business in rural America can be challenging, and a reliable, affordable connectivity solution can help expand business capabilities and position them for stronger growth.

(NewsUSA) - Thirty years ago, the advent of the internet changed the world. For the first time in human history, the collected knowledge of all mankind was freely available to every man, woman, and child on the planet with the click of a few buttons.

Fifteen years ago, the world changed again with the widespread availability and adoption of smartphones that put the full power of the internet in the palm of our hands whenever we want and wherever we are.

As monumental as these advancements were, they were just the warmup for the change that’s coming next. In just a few years, we won’t think of “going on the internet” to look up information and find entertainment. Instead, we’ll already be in the internet, living, working, and playing in an endless virtual world that will turn everything we think we know about the internet on its head.

Welcome to the Metaverse.

In Once Upon Tomorrow, author and visionary tech CEO Shurick Agapitov dives deep into this new age of the internet by unpacking exactly what the Metaverse is and what it will become. It’s not about pixels and computer chips; it’s a total paradigm shift that will revolutionize how people interact, share stories, create and implement ideas, conduct business, and literally live their lives.

“Rather than just visiting a website,” Agapitov says, “you’ll be immersed in a platform of three-dimension gaming, shopping, events and socialization. You’ll be ‘visiting’ virtual destinations that take you directly to the source of your interests.”

The Metaverse will be the biggest change any of us have ever seen, and Agapitov is here to take readers by the hand and welcome them into this wild, wonderful new universe of opportunity, estimated at about $30 trillion before the end of the decade.

Agapitov, who grew up in Russian and whose own video gaming industry company Xsolla has been valued at $3 billion, envisions a future where every consumer-facing industry, from fashion to healthcare to entertainment, is transformed. If you’re an entrepreneur and you’re kicking yourself because you didn’t grab the opportunities that existed during the rise of e-commerce and the mobile internet, there’s good news for you too. The opportunities that exist today in the Metaverse are even greater.

The author delineates how:

• In the Metaverse, we will immerse ourselves in a growing global community that will change forever how we work, play, shop, and explore, and engage brands, and how we interact and literally live our lives.
• While large companies such as Nike, Adidas and Gucci are already creating their digital footprints across the Metaverse, as technology continues to become a commodity and its price declines, anyone can get into the game. Anyone has the chance to create his or her own mega brand.
• The opportunity to own “real estate” in the Metaverse is like buying land on a nearly empty beach today, developing it, and watching a massive community build around you.

Once Upon Tomorrow is available for purchase on Amazon and other popular retail outlets where books are sold. Learn more at www.onceupontomorrow.com.

(NewsUSA) - Obesity is an increasingly significant health problem in the United States, especially for women. The disease affects 1 in 3 American women, including 57% of Black women and 44% of Hispanic women.

Although obesity is a chronic, treatable condition, obesity care is not covered by health insurance like other chronic conditions such as heart disease or diabetes. As a chronic disease, it’s only fair that people with obesity receive the same coverage as other chronic conditions.

EveryBODY Covered, a new campaign led by the Alliance for Women’s Health and Prevention (AWHP) in partnership with 15 other leading health organizations, is working to change this by empowering women to speak with their employers and elected officials about the need for comprehensive obesity care coverage.

Currently, less than half of employers cover or are considering covering the latest generation of anti-obesity medications. “Healthcare professionals need to be able to provide the full range of obesity care options for their patients, and patients need access to that care,” said Dr. Eliza Chin, Executive Director of the American Medical Women’s Association. “Obesity deserves the same level of coverage as any other chronic disease.”

The campaign argues that obesity is a women’s health issue. Citing data from the National Institutes of Health which shows that women with obesity are more likely to have other chronic diseases, including breast cancer, fertility, and maternal health challenges. Women with obesity also are more likely to face stigma in their professional and personal lives. In fact, women affected by obesity earn as much as 12% less than female peers not affected by obesity.

“Women’s health and obesity are linked,” says Millicent Gorham, CEO of AWHP, “If you care about maternal health, if you care about cancer prevention, if you care about heart disease, if you care about mental health—then you need to care about obesity.”

The EveryBODY Covered Campaign is empowering women to call for comprehensive obesity care coverage to ensure everyone can access the full range of treatment options. Comprehensive obesity care includes counseling, behavior modification, physical activity, anti-obesity medications, surgery, and nutrition services.

The campaign is advocating for comprehensive obesity care coverage across insurance types, including private health insurance, employer-sponsored health insurance, Medicare and Medicaid. The campaign supports the passage of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), a bipartisan bill that would provide Medicare coverage of obesity care options. In addition, the campaign hopes Medicaid will expand coverage of obesity care through state legislation. Just as care for other chronic conditions is covered, comprehensive obesity care should be covered too – it’s only fair.

Visit everybodycovered.org to learn more about the impact of obesity on women and get involved.

Support for the EveryBODY Covered campaign has been provided by Eli Lilly & Co.