The Westfield Area Y is pleased to announce that the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey and the New Jersey YMCA State Alliance received an expansion grant of $2.25 million for Healthy U, a collaborative initiative to combat the obesity epidemic among New Jersey children. Over the next three and a half years, Healthy U will expand to impact approximately 40,000 children statewide. In addition to the after-school setting, the program will now be offered in two new settings, preschool and school-based for the first time in the history of the program.

As a result of this $2.25 million expansion grant for Healthy U, the Westfield Area Y along with other Y’s throughout the state will benefit from the grant and are now able to expand their program to also include preschools. In support of the “Healthy U” initiative, Westfield Area Y preschool programs hosted kickoffs on October 11th. The children participated in special healthy activities and wore their “Healthy U” tee shirts in support of this healthy initiative. The Y’s School Age Child Care Kickoffs will be held Oct. 18.