Montclair, NJ – The YMCA of Montclair is pleased to announce the appointment of West Milford resident Chris Garcia to its Board of Directors for a three-year term. The board is composed of 22 members who are leaders in their professional fields. Board members provide oversight, guide the nonprofit’s strategic direction, set policy, and raise support for programs and scholarships. Excellent volunteer board leadership is critical to a vibrant, successful Y.

“I am personally excited for Chris to join us in a leadership capacity,” said Buddy Evans, President and CEO of the YMCA of Montclair. “Chris has been an invaluable resource and enthusiastic supporter for our efforts to invest in a reimagined 365-day facility in West Milford and explore bringing needed programs to the area.”

Mr. Garcia is an IT and internet marketing entrepreneur as well as an experienced Realtor. He has been a leader in assimilating technologies in the fields of building materials distribution, environmental remediation, sustainability solutions, information technology, and internet marketing.

Mr. Garcia graduated as the Vice President of his class from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a B.S. in Management & Psychology. He resides in Upper Greenwood Lake in the Hewitt section of West Milford with his wife, Tammy (an HR executive), and three wonderful teenagers.

“I learned to swim and trained for football at the YMCA as a youth,” said Mr. Garcia. “I worked at a Y during college and am now proud and honored to be an advocate and champion for the YMCA of Montclair while helping further the Y’s mission and services in West Milford.”

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ABOUT THE YMCA OF MONTCLAIR
Established in 1891, the YMCA of Montclair welcomes all. Our nonprofit works to empower young people, improve health and well-being, and inspire action in and across our community—serving Bloomfield, Bloomingdale, Clifton, Cedar Grove, Glen Ridge, Haskell, Hewitt, Montclair, Verona, Wanaque, and West Milford. For more information, please visit montclairymca.org.

Montclair, NJ —The YMCA of Montclair is hosting a series of events in celebration of Black History Month that are free and open to the community.

Events will be held at the Park Street YMCA, 25 Park Street, Montclair or the Geyer Family YMCA, 159 Glenridge Ave, Montclair. Reservations are required at montclairymca.org/blackhistorymonth/.

Black Joy: Stories By African American Writers and Illustrators, Monday, February 13, 11:00am – 12:00pm Geyer Family YMCA

Join us and our friends from the Montclair Public Library for a children’s storytime featuring the works of Black authors and illustrators.

Afro-Caribbean Dance Party, Thursday, February 16, 6:00pm – 7:00pm Park Street YMCA

YMCA Group-Ex Instructor Jevonn McRae will get you moving and grooving to the vibrant styles of Afro-Caribbean Dance.

Black History in Montclair, Wednesday, February 22, 11:30am – 1:00pm, Park Street YMCA

Historian Betty Holloway will lead a lecture and discussion on Montclair’s own Black history, including the significance of the former Washington Street Y and the Howe House. Lunch will be provided.

African American Women’s Update with Miss Ernestine, Wednesday, March 1, 12:00pm – 1:00pm, Park Street YMCA

Join Ernestine Galloway and other Y members as they share the rich history of African American women leaders, icons, and change-makers. Lunch will be provided.

Teen members of the YMCA of Montclair are invited to attend weekly TV and movie watch parties hosted by the Teen Department throughout the month. Reservations on the Y app are required.

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ABOUT THE YMCA OF MONTCLAIR
Established in 1891, the YMCA of Montclair welcomes all. We are a nonprofit that works to empower young people, improve health and well-being, and inspire action in and across our community. The Y offers need-based financial assistance for its programs to ensure access for all. Serving Bloomfield, Bloomingdale, Clifton, Cedar Grove, Glen Ridge, Haskell, Montclair, Verona, and West Milford. For more information, please visit www.montclairymca.org.

 

Now in its 10th year, the 1891 Gala raises funds to advance the mission of the YMCA of Montclair.

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The YMCA of Montclair is pleased to announce Montclair resident Izumi Hara as its individual honoree for the 1891 Gala fundraiser to be held at The Grove in Cedar Grove on October 14, 2022. The Gala’s corporate honoree is Rao’s Homemade.

“The 1891 Gala is a wonderful opportunity to honor those who have played an important role in strengthening our Y so we can be there for our community,” said Buddy Evans, President and CEO of the YMCA of Montclair. “I would like to thank Izumi for the support, leadership, and guidance she gave our Y, our Board, and me personally. I also want to thank Rao’s Homemade for partnering with and supporting our Y during the pandemic. Our honorees have helped our Y meet the needs of our community during crisis and positioned us to meet the needs of the future.”

This past May, Izumi Hara concluded her term as Chief Volunteer Officer at the YMCA of Montclair, where she served on the Board of Directors for ten years and led the Y through a CEO transition. Under her leadership, the Y created its strategic plan, weathered the COVID-19 pandemic, and launched the Re-Imagining Camp at the Lake Campaign.

Bringing up three daughters in Montclair, Izumi has been deeply involved in many aspects of the Y’s programming, particularly the Dolphins swim team. Izumi’s service to the community also includes serving on the board of directors of the Northern NJ Chapter of the American Red Cross and previously on the board of directors of Partners For Health.

“I have had the honor and privilege of serving with passionate, dedicated, and deeply committed volunteers and staff,” said Izumi Hara. “I look forward to seeing them bring our broad goals to improve member experience, deepen engagement with our communities and grow the reach of the YMCA of Montclair in the years to come.”

Rao’s Homemade has supported the YMCA of Montclair since the company located its headquarters just down the street from the Park Street YMCA in 2018. Rao’s Homemade has been a sponsor of the Geyer Family YMCA Playground fund, the Montclair Run, and other fundraising Y initiatives to benefit individuals, families, and seniors. During the pandemic, Rao’s Homemade donated cases and cases of sauce and pasta to those experiencing food insecurity, through the Y’s food delivery programs.

Risa Cretella, Executive Vice President, Group General Manager of Sovos Brands said, “At Sovos Brands, we believe in getting involved with and giving back to our local communities. That’s why we chose to headquarter our Rao’s Homemade office right in the heart of downtown Montclair, where we are immersed in the community. We prioritize partnering with organizations doing good work, like Toni’s Kitchen, Newark West Side High School, and the YMCA of Montclair.”

The 1891 Gala will raise funds to ensure access for all through the Y’s scholarship program. With a focus on camp, funds will also be used for the YMCA of Montclair’s 32-acre Camp at the Lake. Proceeds will be allocated to much-needed facility improvements, which will allow the Y to serve children, families, and seniors in this unique natural setting year-round.

The special guest hosts for this year’s YMCA Gala are stage and screen actress Laura Benanti Tony® Award-winner and five-time Tony® Award nominee, and award-winning journalist Tracie Strahan, a breaking news and general assignment reporter who regularly appears on Today in New York. Montclair’s own Prince Hakim returns as the evening’s DJ. The Gala is co-chaired by Kathleen Harrison and Bridget Placek.

For tickets, sponsorship opportunities, or to donate, visit montclairymca.org/1891gala/.

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Established in 1891, the YMCA of Montclair welcomes all. We are a nonprofit that works to empower young people, improve health and well-being, and inspire action in and across our community. The Y offers need-based financial assistance for its programs to ensure access for all. Serving Bloomfield, Bloomingdale, Clifton, Cedar Grove, Glen Ridge, Haskell, Montclair, Verona, and West Milford. For more information, please visit montclairymca.org.

Montclair, NJ — The YMCA of Montclair announced in June of 2019 a fundraising campaign to build an imaginative and inclusive neighborhood playground behind the Y’s Geyer Family Branch at 159 Glenridge Ave in Montclair. Scheduled to break ground in the summer of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic put the project on hold. But the pandemic has made it more clear than ever how important it is for kids to be able to play and learn in the fresh air.

Today, the playground project is scheduled to break ground this summer with 75% of the fundraising goal met.

“The playground was designed in partnership with Montclair State University to provide a safe, fun, outdoor environment for all children, regardless of their abilities,” said Buddy Evans, YMCA of Montclair President and CEO. “We are excited to start but we need help reaching that financial finish line.”

With $50,000 left to raise, two passionate supporters of the Y have stepped up to close that gap and have set forth a community challenge to reach the playground’s fundraising goal.

David and Bridget Placek are active supporters of the arts and education in the Montclair community, serve on the Y’s 1891 Gala Committee, and support the Y’s scholarship fund for children and families. Their family has participated in numerous YMCA of Montclair programs for over seven years, and they have long been advocates for the Y in the community. When they heard about the planned playground at the Geyer Family Y, they said “count us in.” The Placek Family has generously pledged $25,000.

“Equity and inclusivity is our passion in all of the work we do so we are honored to support the Y in building this playground that thoughtfully serves all of our community’s children,” said Bridget Placek. “The Y has been a big part of our family’s life here in Montclair, and we look forward to seeing the joy this playground will bring to all the kids of the YMCA!”

Rao’s Homemade is no stranger to the Y’s Playground Fund, having donated $20,000 in November of 2020. Hearing that there was still a need, they suggested the community match to their additional $15,000 to help close the gap.

“We are committed to seeing this playground break ground,” said Risa Cretella, Executive Vice President, Group General Manager at Sovos Brands/Rao’s Homemade. “Supporting children and families in our community is important to Rao’s and we can’t wait to see the playground open and watch the children have fun outdoors after this difficult year.”

Rao’s and the Placek Family have challenged the community to raise $15,000 by May 31st. Each dollar contributed will be matched by Rao’s and by the Placeks. By meeting this community challenge, Rao’s, the Placeks, and members of our community will come together to finish the Playground Campaign.

The tax-deductible contribution will secure a playground that will benefit children who attend programs and camp at the Y and children who live in the area, where there is no walkable playground nearby.

If you are interested in donating, please visit https://www.montclairymca.org/giving/playground-appeal/or call 973-559-9285.

“This entire playground project has been funded by generous donors, both big and small, said Evans. “The Y is grateful to all who have made this playground a reality, helping our Y better serve families and our community.”

The Y plans to open the playground in the fall.

ABOUT THE YMCA OF MONTCLAIR
Established in 1891, the YMCA of Montclair welcomes all. We are a nonprofit that strengthens individuals, families, and community by developing spirit, mind, and body. We focus on healthy living, social responsibility, and youth development. Serving Bloomfield, Bloomingdale, Clifton, Cedar Grove, Glen Ridge, Haskell, Montclair, Verona, and West Milford. For more information, please visit montclairymca.org.

ABOUT SOVOS BRANDS
Sovos Brands is a food company with a mission to acquire and build one-of-a-kind brands that bring today’s consumers delicious food for joyful living. Sovos Brands invests in brands that have exciting growth potential, combining industry expertise with fresh thinking to bring its products into more homes across America.

The brands in its portfolio include Rao’s, a line of premium pasta sauces, soups, frozen entrées and dry pasta; noosa, a producer of thick, velvety whole milk yoghurt; and Michael Angelo’s, a leading producer of authentic frozen Italian entrées.

SOVOS™, RAO’S®, RAO’S HOMEMADE®, NOOSA® and MICHAEL ANGELO’S® are trademarks of Sovos Brands. Find out more about Sovos Brands at www.sovosbrands.com, Rao’s Homemade at www.raos.com, noosa at www.noosayoghurt.com, and Michael Angelo’s at www.michaelangelos.com.