For more information contact:
Madison Area YMCA
Marketing & Communications Department
smcevoy@madisonymca.org

For Immediate Release

The Madison Area YMCA’s “The Mind Matters 5K and 1-Mile Family Fun Run” is Sunday, October 20

(Madison, NJ) August 20, 2019 –Calling all runners! Lace up your running shoes for a great cause. On Sun., Oct. 20, the Madison Area YMCA will host "The Mind Matters 5K and 1-Mile family Fun Run/Walk” on the campus of Giralda Farms in Madison, rain or shine. The 5K is a USATF sanctioned and certified race. Families are invited to dress in Halloween costumes.

This is the 23^rdyear that Pfizer has served as the presenting sponsor of the race. All proceeds raised will benefit the Madison Area YMCA's programs that heal the whole person emotionally, mentally and physically.

The 5K starts at 10 a.m. and the 1-mile Fun Run starts immediately following at 10:05 a.m. Register at https://www.compuscore.com/Race/Register/NJ/Madison/TheMindMatters5k

Early bird registration (5K: $27 and 1-Mile family fun run/walk: $8) ends Thurs., Oct. 10. Fees rise to $32 and $10, respectively after Oct. 10. All children ages 7 and under are free for the fun run/walk only. USATF members receive $3 discount on pre-entry only. Same-day registration starts at 8:30 a.m.

The Madison Area YMCA's The Mind Matters 5K is an influential fundraising event for the Madison Area YMCA’s Annual Fund. The Annual Fund enables hundreds of children and families to participate in Y membership, innovative programming, wellness initiatives and services including child care, early childhood education and summer camps at the Madison Area YMCA’s Family Center and the F.M. Kirby Children’s Center of the Madison Area YMCA.

Highlighted programs:

Community Mental Health Initiative (CMHI)
As mental health is rapidly becoming a leading issue across the nation, the YMCA has taken steps to establish the Community Mental Health Initiative to raise awareness and lower the stigmas associated with mental illness. CMHI also focuses on reducing barriers to mental health care by providing community members with knowledge and skills to increase help-offering behaviors.

Project Community Pride of the Madison Area YMCA
Project Community Pride is a youth counseling program that has joined the Y as one of its community-based programs, is an important extension of youth development services for children, teens and their families throughout the Madison Area YMCA’s service area. The program was made possible through the collaboration of community leaders and the municipalities and school districts of the Chathams, Florham Park and Madison.

Paths to Wellness
The Madison Area YMCA offers enriching community wellness and health enhancing programs including LIVESTRONG® at the YMCA, a cancer survivors’ program; The Diabetes Prevention Program; One Step, a multiple sclerosis program; Delay the DiseaseTM, a Parkinson’s disease wellness program; Enhance®Fitness, an arthritis wellness program; and Healthy Weight Loss. The Y also has a range of youth sports, youth leadership programs, enrichment classes and adult fitness classes.

As a cause-driven charitable organization, the Madison Area YMCA is dedicated to nurturing the potential of every child and teen, and improving the community’s health and well-being and giving back by providing support to our neighbors.

For more information, contact Madison Area YMCA Associate Development Director Melissa DeSalvo, at 973-822-9622 x2248 or email mdesalvo@madisonymca.org. 

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