CAMDEN, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — The Camden Health and Athletic Association, known as CHAA, shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic and never came back. Camden Mayor Vic Carstarphen and other Camden officials are now reviving the long-shuttered program prioritizing youth health through sports.
Carstarphen also told KYW Newsradio that this time around, CHAA will focus on more sports beyond just hosting traditional basketball, football, and baseball leagues.
“Soccer components, continue to build on tennis, lacrosse for girls and boys,” he said. “Those are things we want to introduce.”
What makes CHAA unique, according to the Mayor, is the city and county’s partnership with nearby healthcare providers like Cooper to take a collaborative approach to youth health and wellness.
“We’ve coordinated and invested over $150 million in our parks and youth facilities, partnering with Camden County,” said Carstarphen. “Our facilities are there.”
The relaunch itself came after a $1 million investment from Cooper Health, The Norcross Foundation, and AmeriHealth. The Mayor also said the new association will be more efficient with a centralized database for facility management, fundraising, and the purchasing of equipment and uniforms.
“I’m excited,” said Carstarphen. “Sports has played a major part in my life, coaches, mentors when I was a kid helped me develop who I am today.”