Website  http://www.walktoschool.org

Contacts:

 
Contact 
email: walk@walktoschool.org

National Coordinator 
National Center for Safe Routes to School

Summary:

 
Since 1997, communities around the United States have been celebrating Walk to School Day. What began in one single city has grown in popularity every year. In its twelfth year, 2008 participation reached a record high with more than 2,800 events from all 50 states and the District of Columbia registered on the U.S. Walk to School Web site (www.walktoschool.org). Many more communities held events but did not register.

Walk to School events are a way for schools and communities to build enthusiasm for walking to school, promote the benefits of walking and bicycling and bring visibility to any safety concerns. More than one-half (55 percent) of U.S. events are part of ongoing efforts to promote walking and bicycling throughout the year. In fact, Safe Routes to School programs that work to enable and encourage more children to walk and bicycle to school on a regular basis are a natural extension for many events. This growth has been evident in survey responses from event organizers.

Walk to School events to promote physical activity, safety, connections between school and community and concern for the environment. Since 2005, the U.S. Federal Government has funded Safe Routes to School programs throughout the country in order to make it safer and more appealing for kids to walk and bicycle to school. Many communities and states use Walk to School events to kick-off Safe Routes to School programs or build more interest and support for walking and bicycling.

Find out more about Safe Routes to School programs at www.saferoutesinfo.org.