Jamba Juice Co., Emeryville, Calif., announced that The Organic Center has pledged to support Jamba’s “Team Up for a Healthy America” lifestyle initiative. The Jamba-sponsored annual program seeks to raise awareness about the nation’s obesity epidemic by encouraging people to make weekly pledges to live a healthier lifestyle. Pledges can range from eating healthier foods to incorporating exercise into a daily routine, the company says.

The Organic Center, a research and education institute focused on the science of organic food and farming, joins Jamba’s existing partners, which include tennis athlete Venus Williams, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), the National Parent Teacher Association and the National Gardening Association, in supporting this campaign.

As part of the partnership, The Organic Center will help populate the “Team Up” website with important food and nutrition tips, including information about how to incorporate antioxidants into a diet, how to save when shopping for organic food and products, the Top 7 sustainable swaps to detox a home, and details on the nutritional benefits of eating organic grains, the company said.

“When we launched ‘Team Up for a Healthy America,’ we challenged other groups to join us in the education effort to show our nation’s youth how easy it is to lead healthier and more active lives,” said Julie Washington, chief brand officer of the Jamba Juice Co., in a statement. “The partnership of these influential and active lifestyle organizations with our ‘Team Up’ campaign demonstrates the commitment they have to children and their long-term health and well being.”

Pledges can be made at www.myhealthpledge.com, where prizes are offered to those who promise to increase healthy activities, including shooting hoops with friends, eating more organic grains or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. For every weekly pledge received, Jamba Juice will donate $1 toward the purchase of athletic equipment for schools in need.