The Gateway Family YMCA and the City of Elizabeth partner for National Public Health Week

Building Future Leaders Promote Health Awareness. End Quote

Newark, NJ (1888PressRelease) June 30, 2014 - During the City of Elizabeth's 1st Annual National Public Health Week in April, the Building Future Leaders (BFL) program participants at The Gateway Family YMCA - Elizabeth Branch were asked to create a poster representing Diabetes Awareness and Prevention. This week, the Building Future Leaders program came together for a celebration of their hard work, and present a prize to the winning group.

For the contest, students researched information and created five posters with the following themes: Diabetes Prevention, The Risk Factors for Diabetes, Why I should Know About Diabetes, Lifestyle Changes and Diabetes, and The Costs of a Healthy Diet compared to an Unhealthy Diet. YMCA staff and members were asked to vote on which poster had the greatest impact. The team with the winning poster received a Gift Certificate from the Y at the celebration.

"Approximately 79 million adults have pre-diabetes and most do not know," stated Michael Johnson, Director of Community Initiatives at The Gateway Family YMCA, "People with pre-diabetes are likely to develop Type 2 diabetes within 10 years unless they take action to prevent or delay the disease." The Gateway Family YMCA works to raise awareness of Diabetes and other health issues, providing diabetes information and awareness, community screenings and the YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program.

The Gateway Family YMCA, formerly The YMCA of Eastern Union County, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, health and community service organization of caring staff and volunteers dedicated to strengthening the foundations of community and stands For Youth Development, For Healthy Living and For Social Responsibility. The Gateway Family YMCA impacts the community by providing quality services to people of all ages, races, faith or incomes. The Y doesn't just strengthen bodies - it strengthens people, families and communities.

For more information The Gateway Family YMCA, please visit www.tgfymca.org or contact the Elizabeth Branch at elizabethinfo ( @ ) tgfymca dot org 908-355-9622.

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