A brief downpour did not put a damper on the festivities as North Bergen Housing Authority (NBHA) hosted its annual Family Day Celebration at Meadowview Village on Thursday.Parents and children alike turned out for an evening of food, music, dancing, face-painting, games, coloring and even a Bouncy House. The outdoor festivities were temporarily moved inside as attendees took shelter from a rainstorm, but were able to return outdoors a short time later. The event was capped off with a free raffle contest where five lucky winners were presented with gift cards to Target.
Youngsters were encouraged to create posters with the theme “What Home Means to Me” that will be submitted to the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officers (NAHRO) for review, with winning posters to be named later this year and published in a NAHRO calendar.
“This is a tradition held every year at the end of June,” said NBHA Executive Director Gerald Sanzari. “It is part of Housing America’s initiative to recognize low-income families, single moms, and to encourage dads to be more involved with their children.”
While HUD does not provide funding, they encourage housing authorities to host them annually, which NBHA has done for Meadowview Village residents every year since the initiative began in 2016.
“This is a great day where people can come together and it brings a real sense of community,” Sanzari said. “Seeing the smiles on all faces year after year makes it even more special.”