The New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute has officially recognized Nutley Township as a “Healthy Town Up-and-Coming” as part of their Mayors Wellness Campaign for 2024. This designation honors towns that go above and beyond to improve health and wellness in their communities through innovative programs in areas such as exercise, healthy eating, and mental health education and awareness.

The Mayors Wellness Campaign (MWC) is a program of the Quality Institute in partnership with the New Jersey State League of Municipalities. In addition to a record-breaking 32 Healthy Town winners, another 16 towns were designated as a 2024 “Healthy Town to Watch,” and seven were designated as a 2024 “Healthy Town Up-and-Coming.”

"It’s incredible to see the MWC Healthy Town designations keep growing year after year. It’s proof that New Jersey’s community leaders aren’t just talking about health and wellness; they’re making it," said Mike Cerra, Executive Director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities. "From small towns to big cities, these leaders are showing up for their residents and building healthier, more vibrant communities.”

Each year, communities participating in the MWC complete a comprehensive Healthy Town application outlining the research they’ve done to identify their community health needs and explaining how they have organized their local MWC committee. The application also highlights the actions the towns have taken to make their communities healthier places to live, work, age, and play. After reinvigorating its MWC, the Township of Nutley has received its first designation since 2010, earning a Healthy Town Up and Coming award. Collaborations with local partners are key to the Township providing a wide range of health and wellness activities for residents.

The designation also allows for additional avenues for the Township to be eligible for grants and funding for programs focused on health and wellness. "As Mayor of Nutley, I am proud to announce that we have achieved a Healthy Town Up-and-Coming designation for 2024. This designation showcases our commitment to enhancing health and wellness for all Nutley residents through various initiatives supporting mental and physical health, community blood drives, health screenings, veterans mental and physical health, addiction recovery resources, resources for combating domestic violence, and economic stability for veterans and individuals with disabilities, just to name a few," said Mayor John V. Kelly, III. "We look forward to continuing our collaboration with local stakeholders and the MWC for future Healthy Town designations in the years to come."