UFC Foundation opens first youth wellness center at Boys & Girls Club of Newark
The new space was created in partnership with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, HBSE/Prudential Center, Devils Youth Foundation, Paramount+ and the Boys & Girls Club of Newark.
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As UFC fight week returns to Newark for the fourth consecutive year, the organization is making an impact outside the Octagon with a major investment in local youth.
The UFC Foundation officially unveiled its first youth wellness center at the Boys & Girls Club of Newark on Wednesday.
The new space was created in partnership with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, HBSE/Prudential Center, Devils Youth Foundation, Paramount+ and the Boys & Girls Club of Newark.
It was designed to support the mental, emotional and physical well-being of children and teens in the community.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony brought together UFC athletes, New Jersey Devils players, community leaders and local youth for an afternoon focused on wellness, support and empowerment.
Officials announced that more than $100,000 has been invested into the new wellness center, marking four straight years of partnership and programming between the UFC and the Boys & Girls Club of Newark.
“These partnerships help support wellness initiatives that include one-on-one psychotherapy, group counseling, family support, nutrition education, food distribution and relationships with caring mental health professionals,” said Ameer Washington, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Newark.
The wellness center was designed to create a safe and comfortable environment for children navigating mental and behavioral health challenges. Leaders say the space includes calming and sensory-friendly areas where kids can decompress and receive support when dealing with challenges at school, at home or online.
UFC light heavyweight Khalil Rountree also shared his personal mental health journey during the event, explaining how mixed martial arts helped save his life and taught him how to cope with adversity.
“I think that everything starts with mental health, what we believe about ourselves, what we believe about the world. The young brain is constantly downloading information and sometimes a little bit too much information too fast. There needs to be places where adults and kids can kind of unload a lot of information.” Rountree stated.
Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling echoed those sentiments while speaking about the importance of mentorship and support during adolescence.
Following the ceremony, UFC athletes and New Jersey Devils players toured the new facility and participated in activities with local youth.
While Newark prepares for another packed UFC weekend at Prudential Center, Wednesday’s event highlighted a different kind of fight - one centered around mental health, community support and creating opportunities for the next generation.
