Recent Stories
June 7, 2018
Nearly 150 babies in strollers flexed their political muscles with their parents during the Strolling Thunder New Jersey demonstration held at the Trenton Statehouse on Monday, May 21. The goal of the rally was to remind lawmakers to remember families at budget time. “We need more affordable child care and a more generous paid family leave law that would double time off from six weeks to 12 weeks after a child is born or adopted,” stated Cecilia Zalkind, President/CEO Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), which sponsored the event. New Jersey is home to more than 300,000 children under age 3, with 66 percent living in families where both parents work. Young children develop best when they spend enough time with their parents to build strong bonds, but in 2016, fewer than half the babies with working parents received family leave benefits. “The YMCA is one of the largest […]
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June 7, 2018
Camden Night Gardens on Friday, May 18th marked the first event of the 2018 Connect the Lots summer season. The free event included live music from local bands, dance performances, art installations, fireworks, and a car show. A full line-up of programming and special events for the season was also announced. Connect the Lots offers a wide variety of activities to engage Camden residents and to reinvigorate parks and underutilized spaces in Camden neighborhoods,” said Kris Kolluri, CEO of Cooper’s Ferry Partnership. The season’s other major events include Camden’s Got Talent, the city’s third annual talent show, on June 28that Dudley Grange Park; the Camden Peace Games, a citywide basketball fest, on July 28th at Von Nieda Park; and the Camden Jam: Arts and Music Festival on September 9th. This year, Connect the Lotshas expanded its reach in underutilized spaces to include Camden’s waterways. The first annual “I Paddle Camden” […]
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June 7, 2018
It’s been 10 years since the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey and the New Jersey YMCA State Alliance kicked off Healthy U, a collaborative partnership program designed to combat childhood obesity through nutrition education, physical education and family involvement. On Friday, May 18, more than 100 Healthy U Champions and partners from the New Jersey YMCAs and schools came together to celebrate 10 years of impact during the NJ YMCA State Alliance Healthy U Spring Symposium. The Symposium was held at the MetLife Stadium and included a formal program with remarks from Jonathan R. Pearson, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Executive Director of The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey,and Dr. Darrin Anderson, Executive Director NJ YMCA State Alliance. Keynote Speaker Golden Martinez, founder of GetFocused.org talked about how we can be all Hero Makers through our interactions with children. Duncan […]
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June 7, 2018
Winter is finally over, and June is in full bloom! While local crops and produce are ripening, farmers and communities are gearing up for another Farmers Market season. New Jersey is proud to host a number of community markets during the month of June. Farmers Markets help residents gain access to fresh foods, support healthy communities, and increase revenue for local Jersey Fresh farms. Four markets in New Jersey are bringing fresh local food to the communities that need them most. The market accepts SNAP benefits, Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program Vouchers, Senior vouchers and Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Vouchers (WIC). If you’re in Mercer County, Check out the Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market in Trenton Location: 427 Greenwood Avenue, Trenton, NJ 08609 (behind the Trenton Transit Center) Open every Monday (except holidays) from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm from June 11th, 2018 – October 15th, 2018 The […]
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June 7, 2018
Thanks to Ready, Set, Healthy!™, a Novo Nordisk-Sponsored Program, 11 Trenton families spent Mother’s Day weekend at Frost Valley YMCA, in the Catskill Mountains of New York, enjoying a variety of indoor and outdoor activities focused on healthy eating, gardening and physical fitness. In total, 20 children and 11 adults, from two-months-old to age 67, took part in the weekend. Families were hands-on in the greenhouse and garden, learning about soil conservation, composting, planting, mulching and growing. Everyone got their own flowers to plant and take home so they can watch them grow. A bit of rain could not stop the kids from riding the zipline, which towers 120 feet in the air and requires walking up three flights of stairs to the launch. Children under age eight were safely harnessed into the flying squirrel, a kind of “mini-zip line” with a lower altitude. Other outdoor adventures […]
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May 11, 2018
On Saturday, April 21st, the YMCA of Vineland participated along with other Y’s across the country in Healthy Kids Day. This year’s theme was “Awaken Summer Imagination.” Our Y wants to ensure all kids awaken their summer imaginations through healthy eating habits and physical activity. Because when a child is happy, healthy, motivated and excited something amazing is inevitably going to result. As children grow and reach their true potential, they can accomplish great things. Healthy Kids Day encourages youth and families to awaken summer imagination andthis cannot be done without proper nutrition. This year, our Healthy Kids Day event included a community art mural, STEM projects, a 30ft inflatable obstacle course, as well as, an obstacle course including basketball and soccer and swim time for parents and children. Over 25 local “healthy” vendors participated, handing out information and fun giveaways! Two local ShopRite’s participated with their Registered Dietitians and […]
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