Girls on the Run and HackensackUMC

Girls On The Run, New Jersey North, is a national physical activity based youth development program for girls in third through eighth grade. Members of the organization recently participated in a community service project, where they collected and donated art supplies for pediatric patients at the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at HackensackUMC.  Girls On The Run, contributed items such as crayons, play dough, paint supplies, scissors, coloring and sketch books, valued at approximately $500, for the Child Life/Creative Arts Therapy Department at the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital. 

The Child Life Department offers creative arts therapy for pediatric patents.  The staff members, including several child life specialists, are certified music, drama and art therapists.  The creative arts therapists provide experiences which promote a sense of well-being and mastery.  Through the arts, patients have opportunities to resolve issues of loss, separation, control, fears, anger and anxiety related to their illness or injury.  Through the act of creating, the children and teens develop important coping skills.

Each year, Girls On The Run selects a community service project in which to participate.  Recently, Girls On The Run also assisted the HackensackUMC Foundation during the Susan Zabransky Hughes Memorial Run on May 3, in which members cheered on participants during the event.

For more information about Girls On The Run, please visit:  www.gotrnjn.org