YMCAs Host Dr. King Memorial Breakfast Jan. 18

Elizabeth Williams-Riley, President & CEO for the American Conference on Diversity, will be the keynote speaker at the 27th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast hosted by The YMCA of Western Monmouth County and The Community YMCA.

The annual YMCA event, which honors the legacy of the civil rights leader, will take place Monday, Jan. 18, 2016, 8 to 10 a.m., at Branches Catering, 123 Monmouth Road, West Long Branch.

Cynthia Joy, President and CEO of the YMCA of Western Monmouth County, said “We are proud to be part of an organization that is committed to strengthening community, and there is no better message about the legacy of service than Dr. King.”

“Dr. King said ‘Greatness is determined by service.’ In that spirit, the Y continues to strengthen individuals and our community,” said Rhonda Anderson, President and CEO of The Community YMCA.

Ms. Williams-Riley brings more than two decades of experience in education, training and consulting on diversity matters working with corporate, business, community and school groups, nationally and on the local level. She was recently named Girls Scouts of America Jersey Shore 2015 Woman of Distinction, 2013 Woman Worth Watching and is featured in the September issue of Diversity Journal. She is also a 2014 Lead New Jersey Fellow.

Ms. Williams-Riley has also served as lead facilitator in a number of national initiatives, working with diversity professionals as well as business professionals to examine the impact of bias and prejudice in their schools, workplaces, faith communities, and neighborhoods. Her community work includes

designing and implementing conferences, special events, trainings, interfaith events, community dialogue forums, cultural awareness events, and city-wide multicultural celebrations for thousands of individuals and groups from all segments of the community.

This year’s service project for the breakfast will be a food collection to support the Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean County and guests are asked to bring donations of non-perishable food.

The memorial event will include musical selections and presentations to high school students selected as winners of an essay contest and scholarship.

High school students participating in programs at The Community YMCA or the Western Monmouth County YMCA are invited to participate in a new scholarship contest sponsored by the Monmouth County Chiefs of Police Association. Essays and applications will be accepted until January 11, 2016 to MLKessays@cymca.org. The police association will present two scholarships. For more information, call Jo Ann Rountree at The Community YMCA at 732.784.6620 or e-mail jrountree@cymca.org.

Seating for the breakfast is limited; please RSVP by January 8, 2016. Tickets are $30 per adult, $10 per youth (12 & under) or $250 per table of 10 and are available online at www.ymcanj.org.

For more information, call Michelle Born at 732.462.0464 extension 125, or e-mail mborn@ymcanj.org.

About The Community YMCA

The Y is a leading nonprofit charity that strengthens communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The Community YMCA serves more than 20,000 residents in greater Monmouth County through programs such as: preschool, before and after school care, health and wellness, leadership, arts enrichment, personal and family counseling and summer day camp. With a mission to serve all, more than $550,000 in reduced and free membership fees and programs is provided by the YCares financial assistance program to individuals and families in need. For more information, visit TheCommunityYMCA.org.

About The YMCA of Western Monmouth County

The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. We are a diverse association of men, women and children of all ages and from all walks of life, joined by a shared commitment to nurture the potential of all people. For over 115 years, the YMCA of Western Monmouth County has the long standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. For more information, go to www.ymcanj.org.