CFRS receives $20K grant

NEWTON — NORWESCAP Child & Family Resource Services (CFRS) in Sussex County recently received a $20,000, two-year grant from the Atlantic Health System through the New Jersey Healthy Communities Network. The grant will support environmental and policy change initiatives to support healthy eating and active living.
Community partners from local health, education, and social service organizations as well as the broader community, will collaborate on the grant implementation. Partners include: Newton Medical Center, NORWESCAP CFRS, and NORWESCAP’s Skylands RSVP & Volunteer Resource Center.
Sharon Giacchino, program director, NORWESCAP CFRS, said the grant helps support the goal of improving childhood health by advancing healthy lifestyles for children, child care providers, and families in Sussex County. "We want to help providers implement the new physical activity and nutrition requirements recommended in Grow NJ Kids, New Jersey’s quality rating improvement system," Giacchino said.
“We really appreciate the support from the New Jersey Healthy Communities Network and our collaborating funder, Atlantic Health System,” said Mary Schott, a child care specialist from NORWESCAP CFRS. “This grant will allow us to provide incentives to child care centers that will allow them to create or refurbish vegetable gardens and purchase physical activity equipment that promotes whole body development in young children. We will meet with focus groups, hold conferences, and provide information and tools to help child care providers increase children’s daily physical activity. We are even collaborating with local farmers to create a delivery system where parents and staff can order fresh, locally grown produce. We are excited to be part of the network of grantees and share our learnings and challenges with others.”
Since its inception in 2013, the signature community grants program of New Jersey Healthy Communities Network has awarded over $1.86 million in grants. This year, the network awarded $860,000 to 43 organizations.

NORWESCAP’s mission is to improve the lives of low-income individuals and families in need in Northwest New Jersey, primarily by offering, referring, or collaborating with others to provide programs and education that help foster self-sufficiency.
NORWESCAP is located at 186 Halsey Road, Suite 1, in Newton. To learn more, visit norwescap.org or call (973) 383-3461.
The New Jersey Healthy Communities Network brings together local, regional, and statewide leaders to support communities in developing healthy eating and active living through enhancement of what is known in the social sciences as "the built environment." A collective impact model ensures that grantees, funder, and advocates are aligned in their goal of building healthy environments in which people can live, work and play.
Visit the network's website at njymca.org, or send an email to njhcn16@gmail.com