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New Jersey Obesity Prevention Conference Slated for December 11, 2012: Registration Now Open

August 23, 2012

  Registration is now open for the Obesity Prevention in New Jersey Conference, scheduled for December 11, 2012 at the Hilton in East Brunswick.  The conference theme is “The State of the State: Important Next Steps,” and will feature special guest speakers, as well as breakout sessions focused on various topics related to obesity prevention. Dr. Terry T-K Huang, Senior Advisor for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Obesity Research Task Force will serve as the keynote speaker for the morning events.  In addition to his role at NIH, Dr. Huang serves as Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Promotion, Social and Behavioral Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.  He has conducted a great deal of research in the areas of pediatric obesity, metabolic syndrome, fetal and early childhood nutrition, and risks for obesity and chronic diseases.  Dr. Marlene Schwartz, Deputy Director of the Rudd Center […]

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Trenton Kids Learning Healthy Habits

August 23, 2012

Originally published in The Trentonian                   Young people from the Trenton YMCA work with Chef Dave Nuss, right, from the Childrens Aid Society of New York to prepare healthy food during an event to raise public awareness for the NJ Partnership for Healthy Kids and efforts to prevent childhood obesity Thursday afternoon at North Clinton and Lincoln Avenues. (Trentonian photo/Jackie Schear)     SHARE:

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Volunteers help build Trenton elementary school playground

August 17, 2012

Originally published by The Times of Trenton More than 400 volunteers have built a new playground at Monument Elementary School, mixing and pouring concrete, painting, and assembling the pieces at the pre-K through 8th grade school. The project was led by the YMCA of Trenton and the New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids, a statewide program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, as part of an effort to combat childhood obesity. “We are going to continue to make the healthy choice the easy choice,” project coordinator Marissa Davis said.  Read more…   SHARE:

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400+ Volunteer for Trenton Playground Build

August 11, 2012

More than 400 volunteers from the Trenton community came out and spent the entire day building a new playground at Monument Elementary School on August 11th.  Made possible by a $20,000 grant awarded by KaBOOM!, the tremendous show of solidarity emphasized the community’s support to provide an environment that promotes health, fitness and physical activity among Trenton children and their families.  KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit dedicated to saving play by ensuring there is a great place to play within walking distance of every child, last May, selected the City of Trenton as a 2012 Playful City USA community.  Unstructured, child-directed play has been proven to help kids develop physically, socially and cognitively, yet today’s kids have less time and fewer opportunities to play than any previous generation.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “There is substantial evidence that physical activity can help improve academic achievement, including […]

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Trenton community joins together to build playground

August 11, 2012

Originally published by The Trentonian A North Ward elementary school got the park of its students dreams on Saturday with the help of the Trenton Fire Department and community involvement.  Volunteers and community members, 415 of them by midday, came to the Monument School at the corner of Calhoun Street and Pennington Avenue to build a playground that came from the minds of the students.  “Kids from every grade submitted designs,” said project manager from the New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids Marissa Davis. “There were 22 separate designs that were narrowed down to the top seven.”  Read more…. SHARE:

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Vineland YMCA fights childhood obesity with the NJ Partnership for Healthy Kids program

August 6, 2012

Originally published by nj.com The YMCA of Vineland partners with different organizations in its battle against bulge.  The organization is a part of the NJ Partnership for Healthy Kids program, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  The program chose five communities, including Vineland, to be a part of the campaign to curb childhood obesity and teach kids how to be healthier.  Read more… SHARE:

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Trenton Students Design Their Future Playground

July 20, 2012

What will your ideal playspace look like? That was the question posed to nearly 500 students from Monument Elementary School who took out their crayons and tapped into their imagination to design their future playground on Friday, April 20th. “Design Day” was a time for students to dream beyond the horizon, flex their creative muscles and have an immediate impact on their playspace. Student groups created a total of 18 playground designs.  Classmates then voted to select the top seven. The final seven designs were displayed on a school bulletin board where over 150 parents were able to cast their vote on their favorite designs. The winning playground design will be built on August 11 by parents, students and community volunteers. NJ Partnership for Healthy Kids – Trenton and KaBOOM, a national nonprofit dedicated to saving play for America’s children are leading the project. SHARE:

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Trenton City Council Unanimously Passes Complete Streets Policy

July 20, 2012

Trenton’s City Council recently passed one of the most comprehensive Complete Streets policies in the state of New Jersey. Led by New Jersey Future, the policy ensures that future roadway design and construction plans will consider the needs of people of all ages and abilities, whether they are traveling by foot, bicycle, car or bus. “I believe the safety of our streets needs to be a priority and I was happy to take the lead in supporting this important resolution,” stated North Ward councilwoman and council vice president Marge Caldwell-Wilson. SHARE:

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