New Jersey

The label “Jersey Fresh” is seen as a stamp of approval on produce across the country, letting people know that they purchased fresh, healthy food from one of New Jersey’s more than 9,000 farms. The state has a unique make up: acres of farmland combined with suburbs and small cities just miles from the major metropolitan hubs of New York City and Philadelphia. But unfortunately, not all children in New Jersey are benefiting from the state’s healthy bounty – nearly a quarter of children are obese or overweight.

Thanks to support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation is working with communities throughout the state to make it easier for kids to lead healthier lives.

 

Our Work in New Jersey

In New Jersey, we’re making it easier for kids to develop healthy habits.

Over 820 schools serving more than 480,000 students across the state have joined Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program, creating healthier school environments for children to thrive. Since 2007, 104 New Jersey schools have been recognized with National Healthy Schools Awards for their outstanding efforts.

We’ve also made it easier for more than 3,600 youth in 49 out-of-school time programs to eat right and move more through our Healthy Out-of-School Time Initiative.

Healthier Generation enlists the help of regional and local partners to create healthier school and out-of-school time environments. These partners, such as HealthCorps in New Jersey, gain access to Healthier Generation's customized professional development training, tools, resources and data that empower them to guide schools and sites to improve physical activity and nutrition policies and practices.

 

Success Stories

Hear from school champions from two of the many schools and districts we work with in New Jersey: Rafael Cordero Elementary School 37, enrolled with the Healthy Schools Program since 2012, and West New York School District, enrolled since 2006.

 

The Healthy Schools Program helped us achieve wellness goals because it gave us clear direction and helped us see what we wanted to add, change, or take away in our school.

Melissa Fuchs
Physical Education Teacher, Rafael Cordero Elementary, NJ

The seeds we planted with Healthier Generation continue to grow and blossom in our school district. We have had great success in building and maintaining a culture of wellness in in our school community.

Sal Valenza
Food Service Director, West New York School District, NJ

 

Contact us and make your contribution to children's health in New Jersey.

Soudary Kittivong-Greenbaum
give@healthiergeneration.org