With our success in defeating the attempt to have YMCAs in New Jersey collect sales tax we turned our attention to the new initiatives which grew out of our recently adopted State Alliance Strategic Plan.  These items include:

1. A state wide outreach to the non-involved YMCAs and their CEOs to insure public policy issues do not result from Y’s not knowing the concerns. This effort has been strengthened by the new YUSA strategic plan and anticipates at least two YMCAs being involved in discussion to improve their performance.

2. A statewide initiative to provide partner CEO’s for every CEO in the state who would like to have one.

3. Involvement in the annual League of Municipalities Conference where virtually every elected official in the state attends.

4. Hiring of a grant writer who will focus on state wide public policy issues such as childhood obesity and programmatic responses in which all Y’s can participate.  This position was filled during the 1st quarter of 2008.

Continuing initiatives of legislative advocacy included:

1. Numerous school bus and bus driver safety issues.

2. State wide, paid family leave provisions.

3. Successful defeat of an onerous “pay to play” political donations reporting structure for all NJ non profits.

4. Partnerships with state agencies and departments on obesity prevention/ health and wellness.

We meet on the third Friday of every month either by conference call or in meetings and (once a quarter) in conjunction with the State Alliance meetings in order to nurture the cross over between the two groups.  Other key dates include-

• First Thursday of October is our Public Policy Dinner, which has 250 in attendance, honors two legislators and other friends of the Y, and a youth/adult volunteer from every Y in attendance.