Zufall Health celebrated National Health Center Week (NHCW) with a Family Fun Day on Tuesday, Aug. 4. Held in front of our new Franklin Township School-Based Health Center on the campus of Franklin Middle School, the back-to-school event brought together local officials, school staff, community organizations, and residents, primarily children and families from the Franklin Township School District, to celebrate the impact of community health centers and their service to more than 600,000 New Jersey residents.

Attendees enjoyed food, games, health resources, and school supply giveaways to prepare students for the year ahead. Community partners shared information about local resources, while Zufall staff connected with families about the many medical, dental, behavioral health, and support services available throughout the year.

The event also highlighted Zufall’s newest health center location, which offers students and the community convenient, high-quality care and helps reduce barriers to needed health services. Attendees had the opportunity to tour the facility, and medical providers were available to see anyone who needed immediate care.

Health centers were established more than 60 years ago as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. What began as a small program has grown into a nationwide network serving more than 32 million people each year. While health centers continue to face serious challenges, including workforce shortages, rising demand, Medicaid policy changes, and uncertain federal funding, our mission remains as vital as ever. Our continued impact depends on strong community partnerships, public support, and a shared commitment to keeping quality care within reach for everyone.

Zufall’s NHCW festivities were made possible through the generosity of our sponsors Aetna Better Health of New Jersey, Fidelis Care, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, LabCorp, United Health Care and RWJ Barnabas Health.

Thank you to our community partners Franklin Township Library, Community in Crisis for Prevention and Recovery, Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey, Central Jersey Family Health Consortium, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Franklin Township Stigma Free Council, Crossroads4Hope, New Jersey Department of Health, McKinney Vento, Franklin 250 and the Somerset Department of Health.

Family Fun Day was a wonderful opportunity to strengthen connections with the community, celebrate healthy families, and thank the staff, volunteers, and community partners who helped make the event a success. Together, we continue our mission of ensuring everyone has access to quality health care close to home.