The Somerset Valley YMCA has received $16,500 in grant money from the United Way to improve playgrounds at its Hillsborough and Somerville branches.
United Way of Northern New Jersey awarded $8,559 to Hillsborough and $7,271 to Somerville. The two branches have child development centers, which provide full and part- time care to more than 100 children.
In awarding the grants, the United Way said that the Y’s project was among the highest ranked of all applicants. The United Way grants were dedicated to playground capital improvements serving young children.
"Our Y strongly believes in the importance of providing an outdoor play experience for the children in our care," said Valerie Giacopelli, Hillsborough executive director and vice president for marketing. "We believe that playgrounds provide physical, social and cognitive benefits during the critical early development time that the children are enrolled in our center."
The Hillsborough branch recently received a donation of playground equipment from the deBlasi family of Hillsborough. The United Way grant will be used to offset the cost of installation and mulch for the play area.
In Somerville, according to Executive Director Sarah Nathans, the staff observed how the children played as they created a playground renovation plan. Based on what they saw, they drew up a plan that called for climbing equipment such as lily pads, which build coordination through stepping and balancing, a large sandbox, small picnic tables and additional mulch for the play area.
The Somerset Valley YMCA provides child care and early childhood education for children ages 6 weeks to six years old in its Child Development Centers. See its web site at www.ymcasomersetvalley.org for more information.

