New Jersey Ymca State Alliance

Through public-private partnerships the nj Ymca State Alliance convenes, connects and empowers to address social change and emerging needs culminating its annual culture of health conference. Through this initiative njysa highlights local efforts to create healthy communities where equity is actionable, measurable, and transformational, fostering change in the environment, policies, and systems that support healthy living, youth development, and social responsibility. Each year, njysa advances policies that ensure access to opportunities for youth, families, and communities to thrive.

Nj Ymca State Alliance is funded by nj department of human services division of family development (dhs-dfd) to sub-contract with local ymcas providing snap navigator outreach and support to residents in their communities. These community-centered outreach services help to remove barriers and address the social determinants of health, to increase the number of residents who are aware of and apply for snap benefits.

Nj snap-ed, a part of the supplemental nutrition assistance program (snap), is a nutrition and physical activity program aimed at teaching nj residents how to make healthy, budget-friendly food choices and lead more active lives. The nj Ymca State Alliance provides training, support, and hands on assistance to the three snap-ed implementing agencies: community food bank of New Jersey, zufall health center and rutgers cooperative extension. Y State Alliance staff provide snap-educators in all 21 counties with the knowledge and tools to highlight the greatest ways to engage their communities, connect families to resources, and support improved health strategies that encourage local policy, system and environment change adoption.