The Gateway Family YMCA Selected to Lead Community Coalition to Receive Portion of $2 Million in Grants from New Jersey Healt

The Gateway Family YMCA announced today that it is among 10 coalitions selected to receive four-year, $200,000 grants under New Jersey Health Initiatives: Building a Culture of Health in New Jersey – Communities Moving to Action. New Jersey Health Initiatives (NJHI) is a statewide grant making program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The grant funds will be used to continue the work of the Shaping Elizabeth Community Health Initiative (CHI) in the City of Elizabeth.

“We are honored to be among the leaders chosen to move the community towards a healthier New Jersey,” stated Krystal R. Canady, CEO, The Gateway Family YMCA. “Through this funding program, The Gateway Family YMCA has a distinct opportunity to continue to impact lives in the City of Elizabeth.”
The Shaping Elizabeth Community Health Initiative (CHI) is a team composed of community leaders committed to improving the health and well-being of the City of Elizabeth by creating sustainable change to policies and environment with strategies to close the “Health Equality” gap that support improved health, nutrition and physical activity for all. Since 2013, Shaping Elizabeth has impacted the health equality of more than 2,200 city residents through a community forum, community gardens, nutrition education, worksite wellness, increased activity, HEPA (Healthy Eating and Physical Activity) Standards and improved access to clinical care.

Through its New Jersey Health Initiatives program, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation awarded 10 community coalitions grants worth $200,000 each over four years, aimed at increasing community health through partnerships.

The other nine coalitions include:
• AtlantiCare Foundation – Atlantic City
• City of Jersey City – Jersey City
• North Jersey Health Collaborative – Morristown
• Orange Public Schools – Orange
• Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey – Newark
• Township of Irvington – Irvington
• United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern NJ – Camden
• United Way of Salem County – Salem
• YMCA of Trenton - Trenton


For more information about The Gateway Family YMCA, please visit www.tgfymca.org. For more information on the Shaping Elizabeth Community Health Initiative, please contact Alane McCahey at amccahey@tgfymca.org or visit Shaping Elizabeth on Facebook.

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About New Jersey Health Initiatives
New Jersey Health Initiatives is a statewide grantmaking program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Established in 1987 in honor of the New Jersey philanthropic legacy of RWJF’s founder, Robert Wood Johnson, NJHI supports innovations and drives conversations to build healthier communities through grantmaking across the State of New Jersey. To meet the many health needs of our state’s diverse populations, regions and communities, the NJHI program encourages collaboration across sectors to foster deep relationships committed to long-term change affording all New Jerseyans the opportunity to live the healthiest life possible. Learn more about NJHI at www.njhi.org, and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/NJHI_.

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 $1.2 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.
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