Super Bowl More Than a Game to Highlands, New Jersey Kids

The Robert D. Wilson Memorial Community Center and the Snug Harbor Park will be having repairs to damage from Hurricane Sandy thanks to

NY/NJ Snowflake Youth Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Highlands Mayor Frank Nolan, Jets owner Woody Johnson, and Douglas Eagles, Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Monmouth County at November 2, 2013 announcement of NY/NJ Snowflake Foundation Grant for Highlands

Highlands, NJ (January 30) – Long after this year’s Super Bowl Most Valuable Player is named, the game will continue to have an impact on youngsters throughout the State of New Jersey. The NY/NJ Snowflake Youth Foundation (SYF), the charitable arm of the NY/NJ Super Bowl Host Committee, is refurbishing run-down or damaged youth-serving organizations throughout the Garden State. Today, the Borough of Highlands announced that it is one of at least 23 sites benefiting from a $1.5 million grant for repairs and renovations from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to SYF through the Community Foundation of New Jersey.

Although some of these sites were in need of repairs and upgrades long before Hurricane Sandy came along, the superstorm had a huge impact. Many facilities were forced to shut their doors entirely, and more than a year after Sandy made landfall, the repair work continues. The funds provided will assist with the Community Center main room flooring replacement, installation of a new playground and renovations to the basketball and tennis courts that were undermined during the storm.

“We are grateful to the NY/NJ Snowflake Youth Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for this much needed infusion of support,” said Timothy Hill, Borough Administrator. “The Community Center has long been a real gathering place and focal point within the borough. The programs, activities, and services provided, particularly to the children of the town has been missed. Although we are grateful to all who have let us use space to continue some programs, having the Community Center back up and running will be an extremely important milestone as we continue to recover”.

Other repairs across New Jersey funded in part through the RWJF grant include new gym floors, computer upgrades, roof repairs, new elevators, and top-to-bottom cosmetic improvements. RWJF Senior Vice President and Director of the Health Care Group, John Lumpkin, MD, explained, “an important part of attaining a culture of health is making sure that everyone has the opportunity and access to be physically active. This is especially important for our children. We need to teach kids healthy habits that last a lifetime. And we can only do that when they have safe places to play and be active.”

The list of additional facilities whose repairs have been made possible in part by RWJF, along with a new video showcasing other sites benefiting from the grant, can be found at www.rwjf.org/nj.

Based in Princeton, RWJF is committed to making a difference in its home state of New Jersey. In addition to the grant to SYF, RWJF also pledged $5 million immediately following the storm for Sandy recovery in New Jersey.