Young Men & Womens Hebrew Assn & Irene Kaufmann Centers

NURTURING PEOPLE, CONNECTING COMMUNITY, EACH DAY, THROUGH EVERY AGE, INSPIRED BY JEWISH VALUES.

CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICESTHE JCC TRADITIONALLY SERVES UPWARDS OF 3,000 CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN SPORTS, AQUATICS, DANCE, PERFORMING ARTS, AND FITNESS -- PROMOTING CREATIVE, ACTIVE AND ENGAGED LEARNING IN A SAFE AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT. JCC'S EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS (ECDC) OFTEN SERVE AS THE ENTRY POINT FOR FAMILIES TO THE JCC AND IS OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS THE LIFETIME CONTINUUM. OUR ECDC PROGRAMS AT THE SQUIRREL HILL AND SOUTH HILLS BRANCHES HAVE OVER 200 CHILDREN CURRENTLY ENROLLED, MAKING US ONE OF THE LARGEST EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTY. THE JCC'S ECDC PROVIDES AN ENRICHING AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN AGE 6 WEEKS TO FIVE YEARS OLD. ECDC INCORPORATES PHYSICAL FITNESS, MUSIC, ART, MATH, SCIENCE, READING, AND EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT INTO EACH DAY AS WE PREPARE CHILDREN FOR THE ACADEMIC AND LIFE CHALLENGES AHEAD. OUR PROGRAM FOLLOWS GUIDELINES DEVELOPED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN (NAEYC) AND THE PENNSYLVANIA KEYSTONE STARS INITIATIVE. THE JCC HAS OPERATED AT APPROXIMATELY 2/3 OF LICENSED CAPACITY DURING THE PANDEMIC AND HOPES TO RESTORE ENROLLMENT TO PRE-COVID LEVELS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.FROM PRE-SCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL, THE JCC PLAYS AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR YOUTH. FOR ELEMENTARY AGED CHILDREN, SERVICES FOR CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 6TH GRADE FOCUS ON OUR CLUBHOUSE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM. OVER 100 CHILDREN PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM WHICH SERVES MANY SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES OR TWO WORKING PARENT HOUSEHOLDS WHO DEPEND ON THIS "WRAP-AROUND" SERVICE. THE ENRICHMENT-ORIENTED PROGRAM COMBINES FREE PLAY, ORGANIZED ACTIVITIES, SELF-DIRECTED SPECIALTIES AND HOMEWORK TIME. FULL-DAY PROGRAMS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE DURING SCHOOL BREAKS AND ARE STAFFED AT THE LAST MINUTE TO COVER SCHOOL CANCELLATIONS AND SNOW DAYS. THE JCC OFFERED FULL DAY CHILD CARE TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN WHILE MANY AREA SCHOOLS OFFERED REMOTE INSTRUCTION ONLY. THE PROGRAM HAS SINCE RETURNED TO AFTER-SCHOOL CARE.THE JCC SERVES MORE THAN 100 CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS PARTICIPATE THROUGHOUT THE JCC IN PROGRAMS INCLUDING THE EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS, CLUBHOUSE AFTER SCHOOL CARE, TEEN CENTER, JEWISH SINGLES SUPPORT NETWORK AND THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER AT JCC'S DAY AND OVERNIGHT CAMPS. THE JCC'S GESHER PROGRAM SERVES MORE THAN 20 ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES EACH WEEKDAY AFTER SCHOOL AND IS THE ONLY MODEL OF ITS KIND IN THE PITTSBURGH METROPOLITAN AREA.BEYOND SOCIAL/RECREATIONAL, ATHLETIC AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS FOR TEENAGERS, WE TAKE TREMENDOUS PRIDE IN A LONG OVERLOOKED AREA OF TEEN SERVICES - EMPLOYMENT. WHILE WE ARE WELL KNOWN AS A PRIMARY PROVIDER OF EARLY CHILDHOOD, AFTER SCHOOL, AND CAMPING PROGRAMS FOR THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN, WE OFTEN PROVIDE FORMER PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WITH THEIR FIRST EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY BASED ON THESE EXPERIENCES. IN THE PAST FISCAL YEAR, THE JCC PROVIDED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO MORE THAN 200 TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS, WHO ARE EMPLOYED AT JCC CAMPS AND CLUBHOUSE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AS COUNSELORS, STAFF, SPECIALISTS AND SPORTS COACHES, MAKING THE JCC ONE OF THE LARGER TEEN EMPLOYERS IN THE AREA.

DAY AND OVERNIGHT CAMPINGJCC DAY AND OVERNIGHT CAMPS ARE DESIGNED TO PROMOTE SELF-ESTEEM, ENCOURAGE GROUP SKILLS AND TEAMWORK, FOSTER TRUST AND BUILD JEWISH IDENTITY. THIS FISCAL YEAR, MORE THAN 1,500 CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WERE ENGAGED IN JCC DAY AND RESIDENT CAMPS. THE CAMP EXPERIENCE IS ALSO HIGHLY DEVELOPMENTAL AND ENCOMPASSES LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION IN AN INFORMAL AND PLEASURABLE ATMOSPHERE. THESE LIFE SKILLS TAKE ON NEW MEANING AS MANY FORMER CAMPERS BECOME PART OF OUR STAFF-IN-TRAINING (SIT), JUNIOR COUNSELOR, SENIOR COUNSELOR, AND UNIT HEAD PROGRAMS. CAMP BEGINS AT AGE 2 (AGE 7 FOR OVERNIGHT CAMP) AND CONTINUES THROUGH AGE 16 WITH THE STAFF IN TRAINING PROGRAM. WHILE INDIVIDUAL SPECIALTIES ARE OFFERED, THE OPERATING PHILOSOPHY OF JCC CAMPING IS COMMUNAL AND GROUP-ORIENTED. OUR OPERATING PHILOSOPHY IS INCREASINGLY CHALLENGED BY A SPECIALTY-ORIENTED SOCIETY AND A COMPETITIVE SPECIALTY CAMP ENVIRONMENT. THE UNIQUE FEATURES OF EACH PROGRAM ARE: 1) JAMES & RACHEL (J&R) LEVINSON DAY CAMP HAS GROWN FROM 125 CAMPERS IN 1970 TO NEARLY 350 CHILDREN PER SESSION TODAY. J&R PROGRAMMING FOCUSES ON SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN INTERACTING WITH THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF A 100-ACRE WOODED SETTING IN MONROEVILLE; 2) EARLY CHILDHOOD CAMPS AT BOTH JCC BRANCHES CATER TO 2 TO 5-YEAR-OLDS, 3) PERFORMING ARTS CAMPS FOR OLDER CHILDREN IN BOTH SQUIRREL HILL AND SOUTH HILLS CULMINATES IN A MUSICAL THEATER PRODUCTION; 4) SOUTH HILLS DAY CAMPS PROVIDE A GENERALIST CAMP EXPERIENCE FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN, WITH SPORTS AND TRAVELING CAMP EXPERIENCES FOR OLDER CHILDREN; AND 5) EMMA KAUFMANN CAMP (EKC) OUTSIDE OF MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA, NOW IN ITS 112TH YEAR; OFFERS TWO- THREE- AND FOUR-WEEK OVERNIGHT CAMP SESSIONS AS WELL AS ONE-WEEK FIRST EXPERIENCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN TO BE AWAY FROM HOME IN A PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT; 6) AND INCLUSION OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENT DISABILITIES ARE AN INTEGRAL ELEMENT OF OUR DAY AND RESIDENT CAMPING PROGRAMS, WITH NEW PROGRAM ELEMENTS ADDED ANNUALLY. OUR CURRENT FOCUS IS EXPANDING OFFERINGS TO THE INCREASING NEURODIVERSE POPULATION.

FITNESS AND WELLNESSJCC'S HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS ARE A CORE SERVICE OFFERING WITH ACTIVITIES SUCH AS AQUATICS, MARTIAL ARTS, BASKETBALL, ZUMBA AND YOGA, BEGINNING WITH CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS SIX MONTHS TO OLDER ADULTS IN THEIR 90'S IN BOTH SQUIRREL HILL AND SOUTH HILLS. JCC PROGRAMS AND EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING ADAPTIVE MOTION TRAINERS, MAKE FITNESS INCREASINGLY ACCESSIBLE FOR INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES.APPROXIMATELY ONE-THIRD OF OUR PHYSICAL SPACE IN OUR YEAR-ROUND FACILITIES IS DEDICATED TOWARD THIS PURPOSE WHICH SERVES MORE THAN 10,000 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY OVER 90 HOURS EACH WEEK. NEW HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS SUCH AS PILATES BARRE, DECK TIME WORKOUTS FOR PRE-TEENS AND RUNNING MECHANICS TRAINING SESSIONS HAVE ENGAGED A WIDER AND MORE DIVERSE POPULATION. THE JCC CONTINUES TO OFFER SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS FOR OLDER ADULTS INCLUDING PHASE III CARDIO-VASCULAR REHABILITATION AS WELL AS NEW PROGRAMS SUCH AS HOMEMEDS MEDICATION ASSURANCE PROGRAM, SENIOR ACTIVE PERSONAL TRAINING SESSIONS, WALK WITH EASE AND AGING MASTERY PROGRAM. WITHIN THE AREA OF OLDER ADULTS, OUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE TO KEEP SENIORS ACTIVE, HEALTHY AND INDEPENDENT REDUCES THE LIKELIHOOD OF HIGHER COST/LESS ATTRACTIVE ALTERNATIVES. THE JCC'S HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO BE THE MOST UTILIZED SERVICE AND THE LARGEST ENTRY POINT FOR THE JCC'S OLDER ADULTS. THE JCC OFFERS COMPREHENSIVE FITNESS PROGRAMMING FOR OLDER ADULTS, INCLUDING SILVERSNEAKERS, SILVER&FIT AND A VARIETY OF WELLNESS PROGRAMS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR OLDER ADULTS AND TAUGHT BY CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS. THIS YEAR, OVER 10,000 SENIORS PARTICIPATED IN AGEWELL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES MANY RELATED TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS INCLUDING GROUP EXERCISE, ARTHRITIS AQUATIC EXERCISE CLASSES, FLU SHOT CLINICS, DAILY HOT MEALS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, CAREGIVER SUPPORT AND MEDICAL SCREENINGS. WITHIN BOTH LOCATIONS, THE JCC PROVIDES NEARLY 40 REGULARLY SCHEDULED OLDER ADULT HEALTH AND WELLNESS CLASSES THAT CAN SERVE OVER 1,300 INDIVIDUALS WEEKLY. BOTH SQUIRREL HILL AND SOUTH HILLS BRANCHES HOLD NUMEROUS SUPPORT GROUP PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES HAVING RESTORED MOST PROGRAMS IN PERSON AFTER A PERIOD OF OF VIRTUAL OFFERINGS ONLY.