$3,000 Grant to Benefit Healthy Childhood Program at YMCA

The Raritan Valley YMCA recently received a $3,000 grant from Precor to support efforts to help children who use the Raritan Valley YMCA to live healthier lives through the implementation of the Y’s Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) standards in early childhood and afterschool programs. Adopting these standards is part of the Y’s commitment to first lady Michelle Obama and the Partnership for a Healthier America to help curb childhood obesity.

“As a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the Y takes its responsibility seriously, by helping those most in need,” said Gina Stravic, Executive Director. “YMCAs are one of the largest providers of early childhood and afterschool programs in the nation. Now, by adopting standards that will help our kids make better food and activity choices, we strive to be the healthiest.”

The Raritan Valley YMCA serves over 100 children in childcare alone programs every week.  

All early childhood and afterschool programs are implementing the HEPA standards, which include:  

• Establishing a minimum of expected physical activity for children of different ages enrolled in Y programs;
• Defining food and beverages offerings, including designating water as the primary beverage during snack times and offering fruits and vegetables as snack options;
• Limiting the amount of screen time  (watching TV, playing video games, and using computers);
• Encouraging breastfeeding of infants in the Y’s care; and
• Committing Ys to conducting parent education to encourage healthy behaviors at home.

The Y’s facilities lend itself to tremendous physical activity opportunities for children in our care as well as their families.  Additionally, all parents whose children are enrolled in full time day care receive a free wellness center membership which encourages parents to be active!  Other local YMCA initiatives in the area of Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) Standards sponsored by the RVYMCA include Healthy U programming in its childcare programs, community wide trainings in the new HEPA standards to child care center directors, and Be Fit and Cardio Kids classes for youth who struggle with obesity or inactive lifestyles.

The Raritan Valley YMCA is also the sponsoring agency in the New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids – New Brunswick effort to reduce childhood obesity through environmental and policy change.  

“Like the Y, Precor believes that lasting personal and social change can only come about when we all work together to invest in our kids, our health, our neighbors, and our community,” said Paul Byrne, President. “By collaborating, we have a greater potential to help more people make positive lifestyle choices.”

The Raritan Valley YMCA is one of 50 YMCAs to receive a grant from Precor as part of the $300,000 gift to YMCA of the USA, the resource office for the nation’s YMCAs, to support the implementation of the HEPA standards in YMCA early childhood and afterschool programs.  Locally the funding will be used to support infrastructure opportunities such as purchasing supplies and equipment, and staff trainings that can help the YMCA to provide a healthy sustainable environment in an early childhood or afterschool site.

For further information on YMCA health and wellness programs, childcare, or summer camp, please call 732-257-4114 or visit the website at www.raritanvalleyymca.org. 

-Raritan Valley YMCA