New Brunswick
November 10, 2015
This summer 17 New Brunswick children had fun and learned valuable swim skills through the Raritan Valley YMCA. The one-week Healthy Kids Camp for children ages five to 12 taught healthy eating and physical activity concepts through various fun activities. Campers enjoyed daily swim lessons, nutrition and cooking classes, creative arts and lots of physical activity, gardening, first aid and water safety. The free program addressed a major need for New Brunswick children: increasing access to recreational facilities and programs that contribute to healthy lifestyles. The campers were referred by various social services agencies in the city and were transported to the YMCA. “Without the provision of these services most would not have access due to a lack of financial resources and transportation,” said Gina Stravic, executive director of the Raritan Valley YMCA. The YMCA has been a local and national leader in aquatics and camping for over 100 years. […]
READ MORE
November 10, 2015
New Brunswick Tomorrow (NBT) embraces ideas, partnerships and initiatives that move New Brunswick’s people forward. From supporting community development efforts to healthier living initiatives, NBT has made significant strides in changing the way residents think about and engage in a healthier lifestyle. This fall, NBT welcomes Manuel (Manny) Castaneda as its Director of Community Health. In this new role, Manny will handle the management and implementation of health and social initiatives of Healthier New Brunswick, a collective impact approach, which includes the Live Well-Vivir Bien New Brunswick campaign. The campaign is designed to unify, promote and encourage participation in community efforts that foster a culture of health and wellness. “I’ve lived and worked in New Brunswick for most of my life, so I am both proud and excited to help my fellow residents achieve better outcomes in the areas of health and wellness,” said Manny. Manny has worked at community-based […]
READ MORE
July 9, 2015
On Sunday, June 14, 2015 the residents of New Brunswick came together once again for the second Ciclovia event of the year. This free event, sponsored by New Brunswick Tomorrow, the City of New Brunswick, Johnson & Johnson and Rutgers University, closed the city streets from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. so that residents and visitors could participate in over a dozen activities spanning over a three mile route. The purpose of Ciclovia is to promote a community of health and wellbeing through a multitude of physical activities and health awareness initiatives. Healthy activities included group fitness classes, a pop-up skate park, an inflatable water slide, a splash zone to cool down, live music, health screenings and more. Attendees were encouraged to visit and participate in each activity – making their way by walking, running, biking or skating along the course. Ciclovias originated in Bogotá, Colombia and have since emerged […]
READ MORE
July 9, 2015
A spirit of health and well-being is alive and well in New Brunswick this summer with the return of the New Brunswick Community Farmers Market. The market, a project in partnership with the City of New Brunswick, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, and Johnson & Johnson, now has a bigger presence than ever with three locations throughout the city, each opening on a different day during the week. All three locations are open from June through November and had their official grand opening the week of June 14, 2015. The farmers market brings fresh, local and healthy food directly to the residents of New Brunswick and supports the city’s mission to give them access to nutritious food on a consistent basis while also supporting local farms. “We are so encouraged to see our community embrace the farmers market and have direct access to local, health food options. It is programs like this […]
READ MORE
April 19, 2015
Once again thousands of New Brunswick residents took to the streets for the Ciclovia event held on Sunday, April 19th. The free, citywide initiative closed the streets to cars and opened them to people to promote healthy active living, with more than 15 activity stations on a three-mile route. The event was sponsored by New Brunswick Tomorrow, the City of New Brunswick, Johnson & Johnson and Rutgers University. Volunteers from more than two dozen other community organizations, including NJPHK-New Brunswick also participated. As part of the event, residents could walk, run, bike or skateboard in the streets. There was also a pop-up skate park, a rock climbing wall, a Fun Bus, a bike rodeo, music and art activities, and group fitness classes, including yoga and Crossfit. In Spanish, Ciclovia means bike path. In Bogota, Colombia, where Ciclovia began, streets are closed every Sunday. Similar events are now held in more […]
READ MORE
November 11, 2014
Jaymie Santiago lives in New Brunswick, works in New Brunswick, and says New Brunswick is a big part of who he is. He has been working with and for New Brunswick’s communities and their residents for the past 12 years. Santiago has a Master of Public Affairs and Policy from Rutgers. He was drawn to issues of food security while working with NJ SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). “Being young and enthusiastic and wanting to teach, I landed in the field of nutrition education, facilitating classes to underserved populations,” he says. “When I learned the stories of why a person eats unhealthily or overeats, I saw the need went beyond nutrition education. For some, it was about the inability to afford healthy food, while others experienced issues around obesity and overeating because it was their way of coping with domestic violence at home. So, there’s a theme of wellness outside […]
READ MORE
October 12, 2014
Over 4,000 people took advantage of New Brunswick’s open streets on Sunday, October 12. They biked, walked, played ball, talked with friends, skated and climbed a rock wall, among other activities. During Ciclovia, cars are banished; streets are closed to motor traffic but open to fun, games, movement and fellowship. The New Brunswick Ciclovia area is a 3.4 mile route—6.8 miles round trip. This was the third Ciclovia since October 2013, and the response from the community was universally positive, guaranteeing that Ciclovia will become a New Brunswick mainstay. The October Ciclovia saw a slightly altered route, more activity stations, including a bike rodeo and bike exchange, and greater engagement from community organizations. These enhancements resulted in more smiles than ever before, according to Jaymie Santiago, project manager of New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-New Brunswick. Santiago has been involved in the planning and execution of Ciclovia in New Brunswick […]
READ MORE
September 21, 2014
Seven New Brunswick houses of worship and the pastoral care office of RWJ University Hospital are in the planning phase of drafting wellness policies that will orient their approach to food preparation and physical activity for church events and programs and outreach activities. The churches previously participated in Faith, Body & Soul, an initiative with multiple phases of wellness education and fitness challenges. That three-year project ended in February and now each church wants to build a sustainable infrastructure that will ensure continued emphasis on wellness regardless of changes in leadership or programs. Jaymie Santiago, project manager of New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-New Brunswick, is working with the churches to develop the wellness policies. “A wellness policy is the key step in creating the infrastructure that will enable health and wellness to thrive and continue. Each house of worship has informal policies in place that we need to gather, […]
READ MORE
July 12, 2014
When 4,000+ residents took to the streets during the first New Brunswick Ciclovia on October 6, 2013 they likely did not realize that opening a seven-mile loop of city streets to meet neighbors, bike, skateboard, dance, enjoy music, and play took nine months of concerted planning and organizing on the part of a diverse partnership of committed leaders representing 30 community organizations and the city of New Brunswick. What was learned from New Brunswick’s successful first Ciclovia was incorporated into the planning for Ciclovia events scheduled throughout 2014, and also provided a framework for other cities and towns that want to give their streets back to the residents for physical activities and promote social cohesion and integration. The first of three 2014 Ciclovia’s took place on May 4th, with even more participants than the initial one. “We also expanded to 12 activity stations throughout the route and greater and more […]
READ MORE
June 24, 2014
When it comes to building healthy communities, we’ve all heard the phrase “It takes a village” many times before. It certainly is true when it comes to the nutritional needs of the children of many cities throughout New Jersey. This summer, the YMCA of Newark hosted a press conference for the release of a special Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) nutrition report entitled “Heading off Hunger: A Snapshot of Child Nutrition in Newark.” Advocates for Children in New Jersey received financial and technical support from New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to collect and analyze data to complete the special report. As part of the research, ACNJ representatives met with groups and individuals to gather data to assess the nutritional status of children in Newark and identify ways to help meet those needs. The report recommendations are outlined below: Recommended Solutions: Increase […]
READ MORE
Contact Us: 609-278-9622
Follow Us On: