Each year, more than 164 million school days are lost due to illness, and that number could be greatly reduced with proper

handwashing.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 76 million Americans get sick, more than 300,000 are hospitalized, and 5,000 people die from foodborne illnesses each year. Some viruses and bacteria can live from 20 minutes to two hours or more on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs and desks. According to the CDC, the single most important thing we can do to keep from getting sick and spreading illness to each other is to wash our hands.

That’s why NSF International created the Scrub Club® – to raise awareness about the benefits of handwashing and ultimately improve the health of children and reduce sick days in school. The Partnership for Food Safety Education and the American Red Cross has joined with NSF to support the Scrub Club® and their mission to promote proper handwashing practices.

The Scrub Club® is a first of its kind program – a fun, interactive web site that teaches children the proper way to wash their hands. The site consists of a “Webisode,” interactive games, and even an official handwashing theme song. Downloadable activity materials for kids, educational materials for teachers and program information for parents are available in English, Spanish, and French.