First Lady Tammy Murphy Hosts Elizabeth Family Festival
First Lady Tammy Murphy Hosts Elizabeth Family Festival
Over 3,500 families provided information and services from essential state, regional, and local resources
Elizabeth, N.J., May 6, 2024 – First Lady Tammy Murphy hosted over 3,500 families at the Elizabeth Family Festival on May 4 in a continuation of her successful series of festivals that have taken place throughout the state to support New Jersey’s women, children, and families.
Families who attended the festival at the Thomas G. Dunn Sports Center were granted access to speak with representatives of approximately 100 different organizations and government departments who provided information and services in areas such as healthcare, childcare, housing, food, and legal assistance among many other important and essential resources. The event also offered music, food, and games in which attending children could participate.
Launched by First Lady Tammy Murphy in 2018, Nurture NJ is a statewide program committed to reducing the maternal and infant mortality crisis in New Jersey and ensuring equitable care among women and infants of all races and ethnicities. The Elizabeth event was the 20th festival held throughout the state. According to First Lady Murphy’s team, Elizabeth had the largest attended family festival out of all that have taken place.
“As we reach the milestone of our 20th Nurture NJ Family Festival hosted statewide, I am so proud of the work we have achieved together in just over six years,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy. “Thanks to our many dedicated partners, many of whom have been with us since our first festival in 2018, thousands of New Jersey families have been able to access services and resources necessary to house, feed, nurture and otherwise support their children in the most essential ways.”
“Bringing these resources directly into the communities most in need is one of the most commonsense ways we can support our families and improve maternal and infant health. I look forward to continuing to host these festivals across our state as we simultaneously implement a wide variety of innovative initiatives and elevate New Jersey’s quality of maternal and infant health care for all mothers and babies. Our work does not stop until New Jersey is the gold standard for maternal and infant health care and the safest and most equitable state in the nation to deliver and raise a baby,” continued the First Lady.
The Elizabeth Family Festival was developed in partnership with the Office of First Lady Tammy Murphy, Nurture NJ, Congressman Rob Menendez, Senator Joe Cryan, Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, Assemblyman Reginald W. Atkins, Union County, Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, United Way of Greater Union County, The Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey, Elizabeth Public Schools and the Elizabeth Board of Education, Make the Road New Jersey, RWJBarnabas Health and Trinitas Regional Medical Center, The Burke Foundation, Jersey Mike’s, and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.
Elizabeth Public Schools team members supported First Lady Murphy’s team by preparing the Dunn Sports Center and assisting with the organization and operation of the event, recognizing the significance of the event for the families of the district’s learning community and greater Elizabeth community.
“On behalf of Elizabeth Public Schools and the Elizabeth Board of Education, I would like to thank First Lady Tammy Murphy along with our local officials and the many organizations and people who helped bring Elizabeth Family Festival to our community,” said Elizabeth Public Schools Superintendent Olga Hugelmeyer. “It is vital that we support our families, especially our mothers and babies, by providing them with information about the many resources available to them so that they have the best opportunity to achieve a healthy and successful future. Ensuring the health and security of our community’s children through supporting the needs of families allows them to attend our schools with the sole focus of learning and growing to be able to fulfill their full potential and achieve their dreams.”
The district has hosted many resource fairs in the past to support its families in various ways and was happy to join First Lady Murphy in making these vital resources available to such a large number of Elizabeth residents.
"We love our families and community," said Elizabeth Board of Education President Charlene Bathelus Dorgely. "We were thrilled to see so many families receive necessary resources. We couldn't have done this without our partners and staff and in particular First Lady Tammy Murphy, Superintendent Hugelmeyer and her staff. Today demonstrated the need in Elizabeth and we look forward to working with Mrs. Murphy on a return visit."