Programs

  • Program 1 [2020]

    Holistic Development of Children and YouthThis area of work was the most significant and impactful than any of our programs in 2020. Our Youth department was able to adjust programming to meet the diverse childcare needs in our community even during a pandemic.On March 17th our facility was directed to close per New York State, but permission was granted to continue offering Emergency Childcare to families of first responders, medical workers and other industries that required their employees to work.We had to adjust our high quality childcare programming that provided all-inclusive programming for nursery, preschool and school age children throughout Chenango County to one location at the YMCA for full day childcare for Pre K students through sixth grade. We continued to offer Essential Childcare from March through September when school reopened. When school reopened in the fall we adjusted and adapted again working with our local schools to offer hybrid childcare to assist the many needs of our school districts in our County. We offer many different childcare options to assist and serve a wide variety of family needs including before school, after school, holiday breaks, snow days, and summer opportunities. Families and children needed normalcy, a safe environment, caring staff and a routine during this significant time in our history. We are proud that we were able to help and assist the many families in need during this time.During a normal non pandemic year, the Norwich YMCA provides high quality childcare providing all-inclusive programming for nursery, preschool and school age children throughout Chenango County. We offer many different childcare options to assist and serve a wide variety of family needs including before school, after school, holiday breaks, snow days, and summer opportunities. Our childcare programs are a commitment to strengthening families, which directly relates to our mission and our values. YMCA childcare programs assist families in balancing work and family responsibilities. Our programs make it possible for parents of children in our care to remain gainfully employed, knowing that their children are in a safe environment and being cared for especially during a pandemic.The YMCA provided scholarship assistance for childcare programs totaling over $10,647. These funds were awarded to families through our Open Doors scholarship program this year. It is estimated that 25.% of our children enrolled in our childcare programs receive tuition assistance. In addition, we provide assistance to families for all YMCA program and facility offerings.The YMCA annually conducts nursery and preschool programs for approximately forty students each year. Our programs prepare each student with the school readiness skills that they will need when entering kindergarten. Reading, literacy, shapes, colors, letters, sounds, safety information, swim lessons, and healthy lifestyle classes. During the pandemic we were able to continue offering our Pre School program for families but we did not continue with the Nursery School program during this time. Our SKIPPERS program introduces children to the water, and equally important, it introduces parents to the water as care givers. It focuses on children having fun and being comfortable in the water, focusing on water exploration and safety. Early acclamation to the water promotes comfort, calmness, and increases flexibility.The YMCA Instructional swim program was directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, in which our facility was required to close for six months and when reopened we were limited with additional restrictions and facility limitations of 33% occupancy. Our program participation was significantly impacted as we were only able to accommodate 40 unduplicated children in our 2020 swimming programs. Field-tested across the nation by aquatics experts, Y Swim Lessons stress a developmental approach based on current research in child development, motor learning and motor control. Swim lessons are more child centered as opposed to group centered, and focus on the part-whole stroke method of teaching. YMCA instructors guide children through a process of individual exploration. Children build confidence and self-esteem in this caring environment. This swim program teaches more than swimming lessons it develops character values (caring, honesty, respect and responsibility) at every level. YMCA Swim Lessons address community issues of safety in and around water, lifesaving, survival and safe boating skills while developing leadership skills and encouraging volunteerism.YMCA Youth and Teen programs give kids good role models to help them develop self-esteem, self-respect, and good values including cooperation, acceptance, respect, citizenship, and a strong work ethic. The YMCA employees many teenagers and young adults that work with our younger members teaching them to swim, watching them in childcare programs, or counseling them within our Summer Day Camp programs.Our YMCA camping program was directly impacted as we were not able to operate for the first time in fifty years. In lieu of Summer Camp we were able to continue offering our Emergency and Essential Childcare program for families in need of full day childcare during the Covid-19 pandemic.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $556.6K

  • Program 2 [2020]

    Health and Well being for All 2020 started like any other year for us as we were active providing significant programming to our community with a membership base over 3500 members who would frequently utilize our facility and services..On March 17th we were ordered to close our facility due to the international Covid-19 pandemic, with no designated date to reopen. We lost our entire membership base, but we continued offering emergency childcare for our community in need during our six months of closure and we were able to enhance the Emergency and Essential childcare programming in the Fall of 2020 when schools attempted to reopen.Many activities that the YMCA provides to our membership base are creating supportive relationships and environments that are needed for successful pursuit of health and wellbeing in spirit, mind and body. Men, women and children of all ages, faiths, backgrounds, abilities and income levels improve health and well being at the YMCA. In 2020, we provided over $27,095 in financial assistance to overcome economic barriers for participation in YMCA programs and usage of the YMCA facility. In 2009 the YMCA Board of Directors unanimously voted to implement a new membership program for community and YMCA members that have lost their jobs within the past twelve months. A complimentary three month membership will be provided for adults and families that qualify for this program. In 2020, the program was put on hold due to our facility being closed and limited occupancy and usage after reopening six months later. This program will continue in the future as this is a beneficial program to those that directly benefit from it. Helping people of all ages and abilities develop health in spirit, mind, and body is the core of the YMCA movement. We encourage through active participation, programs that help individuals create realistic goals for self-improvement and emphasize disease prevention through regular exercise, proper nutrition, stress management, and health education. Recreational athletic programs for youth and adults promote teamwork, sportsmanship, fair play, interaction, and development of social and physical skills.We offer many Adult classes and leagues such as: Basketball, Racquetball, Swimming, Pickleball, Group Exercise, Yoga, Personal Fitness, and Active Older Adult social programs. During our six months of closure we were unable to offer any adult programming but we were ready to safely return when the State of New York gave us permission. We were able to open our swimming pool for lap swimming and we creatively were able to reopen our fitness center and fitness classes for our members as they slowly began to return.Collectively we are the largest youth sports provider in Chenango County. Program offerings include: Basketball, Flag football, Baseball, Tee Ball, Swim Team, Indoor Soccer, Outdoor Soccer, Instruction Swim Lessons, and Preschool gym and movement classes. With affordable participation rates and inexpensive membership rates youth play a significant role at our facility and our program offerings. For example, our Youth Sports participants had over 480 unduplicated youth, ages five through twelve participate in our various youth sports programs, which represent all socio economic demographics, races, and religions within our programs.Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic we noted that Water Fitness programs are ideal for members of all ages and increases physical strength and endurance while using the water as a natural resistance. Our classes promote healthy habits, develop new relationships, and introduce new active lifestyles. Our water fitness classes were impacted by Covid-19 and many were not able to be offered for a significant period of time. Once we were able to, water fitness classes were reintroduced to the membership and the classes grew due to the socialization, and the direct benefits of water exercise for many of the participants. In addition to Health & Wellness classes at the YMCA in Norwich, we also conduct outreach classes in the following rural communities of Oxford, Gilbertsville, New Berlin and Greene. Unfortunately many of our outreach locations are held at schools and we were not able to utilize the schools during the pandemic as an outside organization. We are hoping this will start to change as we all begin to recover from the pandemic.During 2020 the Norwich YMCA continued to open its doors to community based organizations at no cost. It is the belief at the YMCA that we are community based charitable organization that is supported by our community and it is our philosophy to assist other agencies providing good to our community. Unfortunately the number of groups was limited due to the pandemic but our philosophy and desire to support local groups is still strong and alive today.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $452.9K

  • Program 3 [2020]

    Family Strengthening Parents spend less time per week with their children today than they did in 1960. The YMCA is committed to helping families build stronger bonds by bringing them together in a variety of activities that help form stable relationships, enhance communication and promote healthier lifestyles. Our YMCA helps families build stronger bonds, achieve greater work/life balance and become more engaged with their communities. In 2020, the YMCA awarded $16,488 in financial assistance to provide facility access to families, single parent families, adults, and children. This financial assistance equals 61% of all YMCA financial assistance awarded in 2020. In 2009 the YMCA Board of Directors unanimously voted to implement a new membership program for community members and YMCA members that have lost their jobs within the past twelve months. A complimentary three month membership is awarded to all qualifying participants with proper validation of job loss. During 2020, this program benefit was not utilized due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This program will remain intact to support families in need as we continue to recover from the pandemic. The YMCA facility was open for a portion of the year providing space and time for family connectedness. Our Family Swim program gives families the opportunity to share time together with their family. Our Family time in our Kids Gymnasium play zone provides children and families the opportunity to play while exercising, building trust, and having fun. Much of this time was altered due to facility closure, cleaning requirements and close spaces due to the Covid-19 pandemic. All of our Youth Sports programs allow for family involvement and participation. All of the coaches, officials, scorekeepers, and assistants are volunteer parents assisting with their childs recreational experience.In addition to programming at the YMCA, we also offer programming opportunities for families at numerous offsite locations throughout Chenango County. The YMCA provides swimming opportunities in the communities of Greene and New Berlin; School Age Childcare opportunities in Oxford and Greene; and Health and Wellness opportunities in Oxford and Gilbertsville. By providing more opportunities in our rural communities, families will have more opportunities to recreate together. The YMCA offers a Child watch program for families that wish to utilize the YMCA. Child Watch is a supervised program that is designed for infants, toddlers and young members, in a supervised setting, permitting parents an opportunity to participate in YMCA programming for their spirit, mind and body. We have found that our community needs us more than ever as we all try to find a safe place for childcare, health and wellness initiatives and to recreate friendship with our community and friends. Although the pandemic created a void, fear, and an uncertainty, it did provide an opportunity to work together with community partners to support our community. Our relationship with the Norwich Helping Hands program continues to grow as we provide food, household products, hygiene products and more to families in our community in need. This did not stop during the pandemic and we collectively became stronger and determined to help more.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $152.8K