CAPTION: Celebrating the new Project Community Pride of the Madison Area YMCA:

Front Row L-R: Project Community Pride Board member Melissa Biggar; Project Community Pride of the Madison Area YMCA counselor Brigitte Kelly; Florham Park School Board member and liaison to Project Community Pride Joanne Tobias; Chatham Borough Council President Victoria Fife; Madison Borough Council member and Madison Area YMCA Board member Astri Baillie; Project Community Pride of the Madison Area YMCA counselor Lara Shaljian; Madison Area YMCA Board member Art Powell; Project Community Pride Board member Emily LaJeunesse

Back Row L-R: Madison Board of Education President Lisa Ellis; Madison Area YMCA Board member Kevin Smith; Madison Area YMCA Board member Georgeanne Limbach; Madison Mayor and Madison Area YMCA Vice President of Operations Bob Conley; Florham Park Police Detective Lieutenant Mark Garcia; Florham Park Police Captain Robert Treiber; Madison Area YMCA President & CEO Diane Mann; Madison Police Department Chief Darren Dachisen; Madison Borough Council President Robert Landrigan; Madison Area YMCA Board member Ellsworth Havens; Madison Borough Assistant Administrator Jim Burnet; Madison School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Rossi; Madison Fire Captain and Project Community Pride Board Chair Ed Nunn

Not pictured: Madison Borough Administrator Ray Codey; Chatham Borough Police Chief Phillip Crosson; Chatham Borough Administrator Robert Falzarano; Chatham Borough Mayor Bruce Harris; School District of the Chathams Superintendent Dr. Michael LaSusa; Florham Park Mayor Mark Taylor

The Madison Area YMCA is pleased to announce that Project Community Pride, a local youth counseling program, has joined the Y as one of its community-based programs.  

Project Community Pride of the Madison Area YMCA is an important extension of youth development services for children, teens and their families throughout the Madison Area YMCA’s service area that was made possible through the collaboration of community leaders and a new partnership with the municipalities and School Districts of the Chathams, Florham Park and Madison. The partnership signifies a major step forward in furthering the Y’s commitment to youth development. 

“We are responding to the needs of our community at a time when mental health is rapidly becoming a leading issue across our nation,” said Madison Area YMCA President & CEO Diane Mann. “Transitioning Project Community Pride into the Madison Area YMCA is an historic and groundbreaking expansion of local services for youth well-being and we are proud to be able to support this critical initiative.”  

Brigitte Kelly and Lara Shaljian, both long-time staff members of Project Community Pride, will continue in their roles as counselors for Project Community Pride of the Madison Area YMCA. Both bring many years of experience and expertise to their roles in youth counseling and development. Counselors will continue providing services in the local schools.

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