Cooper's Ferry Partnership's Meishka L. Mitchell of Camden Receives New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids' Champion Award

New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids (NJPHK), a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, presented the “Healthy Kids Champion” award to Meishka L. Mitchell of Camden, Vice President of Neighborhood Initiatives at Cooper’s Ferry Partnership, during its Building Healthy, Equitable Communities Conference on Wednesday, December 3rd at the Pines Manor in Edison, N.J.

The “Healthy Kids Champion” award is one of six presented to outstanding leaders for their commitment and contributions in each of the NJPHK- targeted communities of Camden, New Brunswick, Trenton, Newark and Vineland and in the State Program Office. The award acknowledges Mitchell for being an established community leader respected by government officials, community partners, city residents and peers.

“It’s an honor to present the Healthy Kids Champion award to Ms. Mitchell for her outstanding leadership in and commitment to combating obesity in Camden,” said Dr. Darrin Anderson, deputy director of NJPHK. “She is instrumental in broadening CFP’s mission to address planning and redevelopment efforts in Camden’s neighborhoods.”

Mitchell brings a keen, unique perspective and expertise in community planning and neighborhood revitalization to Cooper’s Ferry Partnership based on her education, experience and as a Camden native, brings a deep knowledge of this community to her leadership. In her positions as Vice President of Neighborhood Initiatives, Mitchell oversees the development of plans and implementation of key neighborhood projects with a high level of community input and participation. She has worked on multiple projects that re-use public spaces to make communities more “walkable” and active. These projects give people usable space to gather, walk or play, and include such spaces as the KaBoom playground in Camden’s Northgate Park which, in partnership with the YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties’ team, Mitchell co-led to its completion.

“Giving Camden the opportunity to be active today, gives the children in our communities a good jump on a tomorrow that promises a future which ensures the opportunity to achieve their full health potential,” said Mitchell.

About Cooper’s Ferry Partnership:
Cooper’s Ferry Partnership is a nonprofit economic development corporation that facilitates long-range policy, real estate and infrastructure projects in Camden, NJ to revitalize the City as a great place to work, live and invest. For more information on Cooper’s Ferry Partnership, visit www.coopersferry.com, follow on Twitter @coopersferry and on Facebook at Cooper’s Ferry Partnership.

About New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids:
New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids (NJPHK) is a statewide program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation with technical assistance and direction provided by the New Jersey YMCA State Alliance. The goal of the program is to convene, connect and empower community partnerships across the state in order to design and implement childhood obesity prevention strategies that support access to affordable healthy foods and increase opportunities for safe physical activity in the cities of Camden, Newark, New Brunswick, Trenton, and Vineland. For more information, visit: www.njhealthykids.org. Follow NJPHK on Twitter or on Facebook.

About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the largest private foundation in New Jersey and the nation’s largest philanthropy working to improve the health and health care of all. The Foundation is striving to build a national Culture of Health that will enable all to live longer, healthier lives now and for generations to come. RWJF has invested more than $1.5 billion in New Jersey since 1972. For more information, visit http://www.rwjf.org/nj. Follow the Foundation on Twitter at http://www.rwjf.org/twitter or on Facebook at http://www.rwjf.org/facebook.