LAKELAND HILLS FAMILY YMCA  

100 Fanny Road, Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046  

www.lakelandhillsymca.com 

Rosemary Linder Day  RosemaryL@Lhymca.com Direct 973.507.7035 Main 973.334.2820  Fax 973.334.1308 

Morris County, NJ – The Lakeland Hills Family YMCA partners with numerous organizations  throughout the year to fulfill the requests of food, clothing, school supplies, Christmas presents,  and much more. The Y works with multiple nonprofits to secure donations, which have increased  because of the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

When the Market Street Mission of Paterson asked the Y to help with their recent clothing drive for  winter coats and accessories, Community Service Director Robb Elko was doubtful he would be able  to receive donations on a large scale, as the Y has been accustomed to in the past. 

“Our local community residents are always so generous when providing donations for the charitable  causes our Y supports throughout the year. I didn’t think that in these tumultuous times people  would be able to respond as they have in the past, with dozens of coats, jackets, hats, scarves and  mittens, which is all part of the Winter Clothing Drive we were sponsoring with the Market Street  Mission”, Robb said.  

The Winter Clothing Drive was held from October 1 – 15 and the donations not only came in  quickly, but they came 

in by the bagful! Robb was very surprised but also very happy to see the  tremendous response to help those in need. Bags of hats and scarves were dropped off to the Y,  some sporting new tags indicating they were not previously worn.

In the past few months of the Pandemic, the Y has held 3 blood drives with the American Red  Cross, with 2 more coming up on November 8 and December 6. They have also held weekly free  food distribution boxes with fresh produce, perishables, and shelf-stable food items as well, in  partnership with the Seashore Fruit & Produce Company, the Community Food Bank of NJ, and the  NJ YMCA State Alliance. To date, almost 3,500 boxes of fresh food has been distributed! 

The Lakeland Hills Family YMCA has also held 2 flu-shot clinics in conjunction with the pharmacy  team of Acme of Denville, giving close to 150 free flu shots to all residents of the local communities  it serves. The response from the community was tremendous, as the flu-shot clinics were held  safely outdoors following all protocols and procedures, under the Y’s covered pavilion in a natural  wooded setting which is nestled at the back of the Y’s property on Fanny Road in Mountain Lakes.  This allowed individuals to feel comfortable being outside and socially distanced as each person  patiently waited to receive their inoculation. 

Knowing that mental wellness is just as important as physical fitness, this summer the Y held all  their outdoor fitness classes free for the community. With 14 classes ranging from yoga to boot  camp, each week over 170 individuals participated in the hour-long classes. Additionally, all classes  were offered for both Y members and non-members, thereby providing much-needed spirit, mind  and body wellness. The Y also offered free access to YMCA360, a suite of video presentations for  various fitness classes, along with virtual programming from many of their wellness partners,  including LifeFitness and Les Mills. 

With the beginning of schools re-opening in September, the Y saw a huge need for remote learning  assistance for

 school-age children. As some schools went totally virtual and others went on an A/B  schedule, the Y took its Kids Club afterschool programming and changed its curriculum to include 

virtual learning and adding physical fitness and scheduled outdoor activities to the mix. Parents are  now offered the opportunity to have their child, from any school district, attend their “e-camp &  care” program onsite at the Y. This brings a great sense of relief to parents as the Y ensures each  child is logged in on their laptop to attend school virtually and is there to offer assistance and  homework help. Children get the academic structure they need while being in a safe, sanitized  environment complete with social distancing, individual desks, and more. A flexible schedule allows  children to be at the Y on certain days and times adjusted according to their school day.  

The Y continues to serve school-age students in Denville, designed to help working parents in the  Denville elementary schools who need supplemental care for their half-day dismissal and beyond.  It conducts a program at Riverview School from 12:30-3:30pm. The program at Lakeview School  offers two schedule options: One from 12:00-3:00pm and one from 3:00-5:00pm.  

The Lakeland Hills Family YMCA has always been a community resource for Morris County  residents, but never more so than during the COVID-19 Pandemic. It’s new President and CEO,  Alex Martinez, believes that the organization’s 3 YMCA areas of focus is truly its best asset. 

“Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility is the foundation of our Y. Parents  find a safe, nurturing environment for their children, our program offerings bring families together  for year-round fun, and our community service initiatives provide support and opportunities for all  of us to give back”.  

Alex continued, “We have the most qualified fitness and coaching staff in the industry, with  technologically superior equipment and modern facilities. We are at the forefront of every safety  protocol and procedure available throughout our facility, from our Infant and Toddler Care  Program, Early Childhood Learning Center, our Aquatic Program, and our Health and Wellness  Center.” 

This fall the Y has multiple events for its members and the community: A member fitness challenge  is scheduled for early November, followed by a family and community event, a Virtual 5K Turkey  Trot. It has also kicked off its annual financial assistance campaign, Give a Kid the Y, to help  children and families in the local community with summer camp, preschool, and more. The  Lakeland Hills Family YMCA continues to be the center of the community. No other organization can  impact as many, as powerfully, as the Y does every day. 

For more information on the Y, please email its Director of Marketing, Rosemary Linder Day, at  RosemaryL@Lhymca.com. 

About the Y 

Driven by its founding mission, the Y has served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening  community for more than 175 years. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where  they’re from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships and opportunities for all to learn, grow  and thrive. By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives and generations,  

the Y’s goal is to improve overall health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment and  demonstrate the importance of connections in and across 10,000 communities nationwide.  *******