Program areas at The Young Men's Christian Association of North Central Ohio
Youth Development - The Y is committed to nurturing the potential of every child and teen. It is one of the main pillars of the Y's mission. We are able to provide children with an environment and opportunities where they can cultivate values, skills, and relationships that encourage positive relationships, healthy behaviors, and educational advancement. Our Y provides many childcare opportunities including extended day care, school age before and after school care, Preschool, and child watch. Our Y also provides opportunities for youth to participate in other programs like youth sports, youth aquatics, youth and government, the arts, and more. In 2022, we provided 174,564 meals to children in our community, taught over 900 children how to be safe around water, and engaged 2,823 children in our youth sports programs. Over the summer, we were also able to provide a mobile Y experience that reached over 1,863 children in our community, take school age kids on educations field trips around our state, and provide free and nutritious snacks weekly to ensure no child goes hungry. In alignment with our mission that the Y be For All, we were able to provide $148,383 in scholarships to families in the community to ensure that all have access to the Y's services, regardless of their background or ability to pay.
Healthy Living and Social Responsibiility - The Y is committed to fostering healthy living styles for individuals and families from all backgrounds, age groups, and cultures in our community. Our goal is to strengthen not only the body, but also the spirit and the mind. We create a space for people to connect with other people while also improving their health and wellbeing. As a result, over 10,000 members and participants are receiving support, guidance, and resources to meet these goals. The Y offers group exercise classes, individual personal training, and adult and child team sports. We also offer comprehensive swim programs for individuals from 6 months of age to senior citizens to individuals with special needs. We offer a Livestrong program where we provide cancer survivors the chance to connect and grow stronger free of cost. 12 blood drives were held at the Y to help save lives and provide a future for those who need blood. We partnered with our county Foster program to provide $27,445 of discounted memberships to those who Foster children in the community. We also partnered with a local organization to provide $107,198 in discounted memberships to individuals with disabilities that are learning to live independently. In alignment with our mission that the Y be For All, we were able to provide $157,703.35 in scholarships to individuals and families in the community to ensure that all have access to the Y's services, regardless of their background or ability to pay.