SAN FRANCISCO — McKesson Corp. is supporting the American Diabetes Association’s "Stop Diabetes" program aimed at helping raise awareness among school children of the seriousness of type 2 diabetes.

As part of McKesson’s 12th annual Community Days corporate citizenship program, employee volunteers from more than 130 McKesson sites nationwide will come together to create more than 32,000 Stop Diabetes care packages for fourth- and fifth-grade students at local schools.

The health care distributor’s and the association’s Stop Diabetes care packages are designed to encourage elementary school students to adopt healthier eating habits and more active lifestyles. The packages will include items such as jump ropes, pedometers, water bottles and frisbees, as well as customized comic books designed by the association to urge elementary school students to prevent type 2 diabetes by eating better and exercising regularly.

"McKesson is proud to mobilize its 32,000 employee volunteers to support the American Diabetes Association’s efforts to prevent type 2 diabetes," Pat Blake, executive vice president and group president of McKesson’s Technology Solutions business, said in a statement. "As the largest health care services and IT company in the country, McKesson has always been a driver of health care improvements that increase the quality of care while bringing costs down for patients. In the face of a growing diabetes epidemic in America, we’re committed to using both our professional expertise and volunteer efforts to change the course of this disease in our communities."

The package build program will occur in more than 130 McKesson locations, including Tolleson, Ariz.; San Francisco and Fresno, Calif; Westminster, Colo.; Orlando, Fla.; Alpharetta, Ga.; Indianapolis; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Kansas City, Mo.; Oklahoma City; Durham, N.C.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Memphis and Nashville, Tenn.; Grapevine, Texas; and Vancouver, Wash.

McKesson reported that diabetes currently affects nearly 24 million Americans and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three American children born today will develop diabetes in their lifetime if current trends continue.

"Our goal is to raise diabetes awareness in communities across the country so we can put a stop to this growing epidemic in America," stated Larry Hausner, chief executive officer of the American Diabetes Association. "We’re pleased to have the help of McKesson’s employees in getting the Stop Diabetes movement messages out to elementary school children across the country. One in five public health dollars in the United Sates are currently being spent on care for people with diabetes, so efforts to like this one to empower patients to take more control of their health and wellness will have a big impact on the future of health care in America."