Programs

  • Program 1 [2020]

    4a. Healthy Living - The Ann Arbor YMCA is a leading voice on improving the health and well-being of the Washtenaw and S. Livingston County communities. We bring families together, foster connections and encourage good health through shared fitness, recreational and social activities. Health and well-being are all about balance. That's why we help individuals and families build and maintain healthy habits for spirit, mind, and body in their everyday lives. By helping people of all ages and all backgrounds improve their health and well-being, we build a stronger community. As a result, 21,063 individuals in the Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and surrounding Washtenaw County and Southern Livingston community are receiving the support and resources to achieve health in spirit, mind, and body. This is particularly important as our nation struggles with community health, families struggle with work/life balance issues, childcare and individuals search for ways to engage in the community for personal fulfillment and to reduce the risk of social isolation that many saw in 2020 because of the pandemic. The Y has several programs designed to fight chronic disease and is committed to empowering our community to lead fuller lives. Our healthy living programs include Pedaling for Parkinson's; a bicycle program to help reduce disease symptoms, Livestrong; a free fitness and support program for cancer survivors, Arthritis Exercise, Moving for a Better Balance, Mood Lifters and Gender Embodiment Workshops. The Y provided free, live classes for ANYONE in Washtenaw and Southern Livingston Counties with our local Y instructors in April 2020 and continued to make available at a low-cost throughout the year. Families signed up for educational classes and individuals in need of physical activity could enroll in health and wellness classes from the comfort of their own homes. Virtual programming is a long-term investment for the Ann Arbor YMCA and will continue as an option into the future. We served 2,975 persons virtually in 2020. Y programs are accessible, affordable, and open to all faiths, backgrounds, abilities, and income levels. In 2019/2020 combined the Ann Arbor Y provided over $1.1 million in financial assistance to individuals who would have faced economic barriers to participation in the areas of Healthy Living, Youth Development and Social Responsibility
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $1.8M

  • Program 2 [2020]

    4c. Youth Development/Social Responsibility programming includes Child Care, Teen Education, Leadership and Youth Volunteer programs. Y youth development programs give children and teens a safe place to belong, build confidence and learn positive behaviors. Child Development: The YMCA's NAEYC-accredited Early Child Care and After School programs provide a nurturing environment where children can learn, grow, and develop social skills. These programs guide children through an age-appropriate curriculum that develops self-help skills and instills the Y values of honesty, caring, respect and responsibility among children and their families. An additional element to Y childcare programs is the healthy eating physical activity curriculum implemented to help reduce childhood obesity. The YMCA's school age Child Care Program and Teen after School Program provide a safe, comfortable environment for children that includes healthy snacks and help with homework, plus physical indoor and outdoor activities with our caring staff. The Y provided coronavirus crisis childcare services for Glacier Hills Senior Living Community employees, medical professionals, first responders, and other essential workers at the Glacier Hills YMCA Child Development Center (CDC). Glacier Hills YMCA CDC childcare were available for over 60 hours per week, Monday through Friday. On June 15th after the Governor's Executive Order was lifted, the Ann Arbor Y sprang into action reopening all Child Development Centers. The Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti YMCA CDCs joined the Glacier Hills YMCA CDC by reopening to support local families. During the closure, the Y did not require any hold fees to maintain their child's enrollment status with our centers. This decision was made to reduce financial stress and support families during this very difficult time. As families continued to return to work and school, the Y was and continues to be ready to accept children into our programs. The Y makes it possible for families of all backgrounds and income levels to participate in our programs on a sliding fee scale with scholarships available in all our programs. We have been so fortunate to work with our partners in the community to continue to make funding available so families can have more childcare options the community near to where they work or attend school. In 2020 in addition to our three child development centers we provided School Age Learning Labs: learning lab for school age children of essential workers where they participated in safe pods within our West Washington and Ypsilanti location. When many of the area schools announced that classes would be held online, the Ann Arbor YMCA stepped in again to provide much needed support for school age youth and their families. Learning Labs began in September and were continued until in school learning was available. The Learning Labs were supervised classrooms that practice social distancing, mask wearing and daily health screening of each youth and staff while providing Wi-Fi and educational support for students. These essential programs were coordinated to decrease the impact of the pandemic on academic achievement for those families with working parents or caregivers. At the Y, we help teens set and achieve their goals. Through Teen Education and Leadership programs, including the Teen After School Program, Youth in Government and Leaders Club, teens ages 11-17 can develop self-confidence and take an active role in strengthening their community. Teen Programs were held virtually and in-person with a focus on leadership development. Throughout the summer, the Ann Arbor YMCA Teen Department provided opportunities for small group in-person enrichment activities and workshops to take place during the months of July and August. In-person opportunities were also offered across Washtenaw County and included Babysitter Certification Courses, Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC) service-learning projects and workshops. Virtual teen program offerings included week-long, 2-hour blocks of time to engage in interactive dialogue facilitated by Ann Arbor Y staff and volunteers. Our virtual environments were designed for optimal shared-learning experiences and for all members involved to build healthy relationships that promote inclusion and connectivity. Virtual programs included the following components: welcome, teambuilder, mindfulness moment, movement and brain breaks, interactive hands-on activity, and daily challenges. Additionally, some programs involved guest speakers, panelists, and workshop facilitators. Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC) is a youth driven volunteer program for young people ages 11-17. YVC engages youth in service-learning projects that are challenging, rewarding and educational to serve the need of the community and promote a lifetime ethic of service. YVC is offered as an accredited Community Resource Class (Creating and Maintaining Socially Just Communities with the YVC Corps) in the Ann Arbor Public Schools for grades 9-12. Michigan Youth in Government (YIG) is a comprehensive program that teaches state governmental process in a fun, interactive and exciting way. Participants learn about bill-writing, parliamentary procedure, current issues facing the state of Michigan, and much more. Representatives from the Ys middle school delegation were elected as Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House by their peers at the state-wide conference. Leaders Club - Leaders Club provides teens opportunities for personal growth and leadership development. Club meetings encourage character development through activities such as team building, group work, volunteering for YMCA events. In 2020 we continued much of this work virtually so youth would have a continued opportunity to engage with others and develop life skills. In addition, we had 285 adults and youth in the community volunteering in our programs. These volunteers participated in coaching youth sports teams, serving as policy volunteers, helping in after school programs, facilitating and participating in youth leadership programs. Many of our volunteers work on our Annual Campaign each year to raise funds for Y programs and scholarships. In 2020 we ran most of the campaign virtually during Covid and had more campaigner and donor participation than ever.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $1.6M

  • Program 3 [2020]

    4b. Youth Development - Summer Camps. The YMCA is committed to nurturing the potential of every child and teen. We believe that all youth deserve the opportunity to discover who they are and what they can achieve. In 2020 the Ann Arbor Y offered a slightly different variety of camp programs for youth ages 5-16 due to the pandemic. Summer Day Camp provided new experiences for youth while engaging them in activities to promote learning and physical activity. The Ann Arbor Y provided options for Summer Programming to fit the diverse needs of families, including both in-person and take-home options. In-person camps: In addition to Camp Birkett, two exciting new partnerships in Ann Arbor (Greenhills School) and Ypsilanti (Ypsilanti Township Community Center) were developed to provide care for families who were being called back to work and youth who needed to get back to being kids, while ensuring that the guidelines for social distancing were being followed. Residential Camp: Camp AGQ staff created new opportunities for "Camp Magic" this summer. Family Camps were offered for five weeks during the 2020 summer in northern Michigan on Burt Lake (Camp Al-Gon-Quian). The staff team, along with support from Camp Alumni and current families, created a new look for 2020 with the same excitement and dedication. Families were given opportunities to stay connected to camp while engaging in quality outdoor activities for new camp memories for the entire family, not just the kids. This format provided a safe environment for our families and allowed families to experience camp together which was a new experience for many. "Camp in a Box" provided a quality camp adventure with home activities and virtual exchanges via Zoom and provided meet up times for small groups. Each week, the Y offered interactive groups and noncontact sports in various community settings. Each 60-minute session featured active group games, physical activity, sports instruction, and weekly challenges. These neighborhood-based workshops gave youth an opportunity to get active and meet with friends while continuing to learn new skills. Summer programs are rooted in the YMCA core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility while being intentional about fostering friendships, a sense of accomplishment, and belonging for all. Our day camp programs in Washtenaw County and on Burt Lake at Camp Al-Gon-Quian provide a safe community where young people explore, build self-esteem and interpersonal skills, and make lasting friendships and memories. We continue to expand our LIT and CIT programs so children can experience leadership while participating in programs that expand on those skills.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $920.6K