Chancellor Joel Klein, Kym Hampton Award Students the First
"Strong Kids Cards" for Free YMCA Access
JPMorgan Chase Donates $300,000 to Support the Initiative
NEW YORK, Oct. 30, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- At a press conference at the historic Harlem YMCA this morning, the YMCA of Greater New York announced the launch of its new Strong Kids Card youth membership initiative, which will give kids 5-17 a special free membership to their local YMCA Branch.
With a regularly scheduled block of time on a weekday evening or weekend day, YMCA Strong Kids Card holders can take advantage of structured recreation at their local YMCA. The program is designed to get kids more active, learn more about their own health and nutrition, and take part in frequent events designed to bring the family together. The initial group is limited to children currently enrolled in YMCA programs such as afterschool and youth sports. The YMCA expects the program to reach 25,000 New York children in its first year. In all of its current programs, the YMCA serves more than 175,000 youths in the five boroughs.
"At the heart of the YMCA's traditional youth programming is a commitment to giving kids positive adult role models and developing in them the Y's four core values -- caring, honesty, respect and responsibility," said Jack Lund, President & CEO of the YMCA of Greater New York. "But with youth inactivity and poor nutrition at an all-time high, we look to create environments for children to be more physically active, choose food that is good for them, and engage their families to improve the environment back home.
"The keys to being active are having fun and having opportunities to do so. The new YMCA Strong Kids Card is designed to offer more structured fun and education. It represents a major step forward and will make a great impact on children's health in New York City," Lund added.
Thirty students from the YMCA's afterschool program at PS175 (Harlem) were the first to receive their Strong Kids Cards from special guests Chancellor Joel I. Klein of the Department of Education, Kym Hampton of the New York Liberty and Kim Jasmin of JPMorgan Chase, the presenting sponsor.
"For decades, the YMCA has been a partner with schools and parents in the health and safety of thousands of kids during the afterschool hours," said Chancellor Klein. "Both in afterschool programs and now with the new Strong Kids Card, the YMCA takes every opportunity to make the biggest impact on the health of New York's kids -- in spirit, mind and body."
The YMCA is currently implementing new standards in all of its afterschool programs, designed to increase physical activity, promote healthy eating, reduce television and computer "screen time" and foster connectedness among kids, parents and Y staff.
The event also featured the announcement of JPMorgan Chase's contribution of $300,000 in support of the launch of the Strong Kids Card, as well as two YMCA aquatics safety initiatives to be announced later this year, 2nd Grade Swim and the YMCA Lifeguard Training Program.
"As a long-time supporter of the YMCA of Greater New York, we believe that it is imperative to educate the youth of New York City about the importance of healthy living," said Jasmin, Vice President & Regional Manager of Community Relations for JPMorgan Chase. "The YMCA continues to offer programs that provide a fun, interactive way to motivate kids, while improving their health and social skills."
JPMorgan Chase is also a founding sponsor of the YMCA's renowned Virtual Y afterschool program, a free, literacy-based curriculum that extends children's learning past 3:00p.m.
The YMCA Strong Kids Card is part of the YMCA of Greater New York's commitment to combating the childhood obesity epidemic and improving children's health and wellness. New standards for afterschool and day camp curricula include regular fun, active and educational programs for the kids in the YMCA's care during these critical hours. Following the announcement, the students participated in innovative non-elimination activities similar to those that will be part of the Strong Kids Card program. Y staff were aided by Kym Hampton of the WNBA's New York Liberty, a longtime supporter of the YMCA.
"The YMCA has always given kids the role models to develop themselves as leaders," said Hampton. "The Strong Kids Card is going to make a big difference, and I can't think of anyone better than the YMCA to help kids get themselves and their families on the road to healthy living."
In order to ensure that YMCA programs and services are open to all, regardless of ability to pay, the YMCA offers financial assistance to those with a demonstrated need, thanks in large part to contributions to its annual Strong Kids Campaign. In total, the YMCA of Greater New York provides more than $45 million in free and subsidized programs and services to more than 350,000 New Yorkers every year.
The YMCA of Greater New York is a community service organization which promotes positive values through programs that build spirit, mind and body, welcoming all people, with a focus on youth. The largest private youth-serving organization in New York City, the YMCA of Greater New York encompasses 19 branches and 180 program sites throughout the five boroughs, plus three camps upstate, serving 350,000 New Yorkers of all ages each year, including 175,000 children in a variety of educational, social, health and wellness, as well as recreational and child development programs, each of which reinforce the YMCA values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. Supported in part through contributions to the Strong Kids Campaign, the YMCA provides membership assistance and scholarships, so that no one is turned away due to an inability to pay. Visit www.ymcanyc.org to learn more.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) is a leading global financial services firm with assets of $1.5 trillion and operations in more than 50 countries. The firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers, small business and commercial banking, financial transaction processing, asset management, and private equity. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase serves millions of consumers in the United States and many of the world's most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under its JPMorgan and Chase brands. Information about the firm is available at jpmorganchase.com.
JPMorgan Chase
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