Community Improvement Efforts Recognized as Perth Amboy Advances in Prize Selection Process

Press Release 3/6/19

PERTH AMBOY – Perth Amboy, NJ was chosen as a finalist for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize. As a 2019 finalist, Perth Amboy is one step closer to the national Prize which honors communities that are bringing partners together around a shared commitment to health, opportunity, and equity.

Selected from nearly 200 applicant communities, Perth Amboy joins 11 other finalist communities from across the country. Winners will be announced this fall.

“We are pleased to advance as a RWJF Culture of Health Prize finalist community. To the Perth Amboy community, this means being recognized for the outstanding effort our entire community has put into making a Healthier Perth Amboy,” said Steve Jobin, CEO of the Raritan Bay Area YMCA. “We believe we rose to finalist status because we recognized that there is tremendous strength in multi-sector collaboration and upstream investments.”

The Prize is guided by the principle that every community has the potential to leverage its unique strengths and assets to expand opportunities for residents to thrive. To become a finalist, Perth Amboy had to demonstrate how its efforts reflect the six Prize criteria:

• Defining health in the broadest possible terms.

• Committing to sustainable systems changes and policy-oriented long-term solutions.

• Creating conditions that give everyone a fair and just opportunity to reach their best possible health.

• Harnessing the collective power of leaders, partners, and community members.

• Securing and making the most of available resources.

• Measuring and sharing progress and results.

“These communities have set themselves apart by recognizing that health is about opportunity. It is connected to every element of our lives – good schools, safe and affordable housing, high- quality jobs that pay a fair wage and so much more,” said Richard Besser, MD, RWJF president and CEO. “In the coming months, we look forward to visiting each community to learn more about how it is working with local leaders and residents to shape solutions in all these areas that impact health.”

If selected as a Prize winner, Perth Amboy will be given a $25,000 cash prize and a national platform to share their story and lessons learned with the country. The community will join with other national and community change leaders, including past Prize winners, through the national Prize Alumni Network.

To learn about the work of the 39 previous Prize winners, visit www.rwjf.org/prize. If you have questions about the Y or the Culture of Health Initiatives of Perth Amboy please contact Steve Jobin, 732.442.3632.