National Council Of Young Mens Christian Assns Of The Usa

YMCA OF THE USA (Y-USA) IS THE NATIONAL RESOURCE OFFICE FOR THE NATION'S 2,600 YS, WHICH STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY BY NURTURING THE POTENTIAL OF KIDS, PROMOTING HEALTHY LIVING FOR ALL, AND FOSTERING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: FOR MORE THAN 170 YEARS, THE Y HAS RESPONDED TO OUR NATION'S MOST PRESSING SOCIAL NEEDS. THROUGH WORLD WARS, THE GREAT DEPRESSION, THE SPANISH FLU AND MANY OTHER NATIONAL AND GLOBAL CHALLENGES, THE Y HAS RESPONDED TO HELP COMMUNITIES REBUILD FROM HARDSHIP. AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CONTINUED TO EVOLVE INTO NEW STRAINS THAT CHALLENGED THE NATION THROUGHOUT 2021, THE Y CONTINUED RESPONDING TO OUR COMMUNITIES' MOST PRESSING SOCIAL NEEDS. AS HUNGER INCREASED ACROSS THE COUNTRY, YS SERVED 505,000 KIDS MORE THAN 39 MILLION HEALTHY MEALS AND SNACKS (REPORTING PERIOD: SEPT. 2020 TO AUGUST 2021). COLLECTIVELY, YS ALSO SERVED 3.2 MILLION FAMILIES OVER 7.7 MILLION MEALS AND OVER 38 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD. NEW AMERICAN WELCOME CENTER YS CONTINUED THEIR WORK TO SUPPORT NEWCOMER IMMIGRANTS. MANY OF THESE YS SUPPORTED INCOMING AFGHAN ARRIVALS BY PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES, COLLECTING ESSENTIAL HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, RAISING FUNDS, AND PROVIDING RESETTLEMENT ASSISTANCE. MORE THAN 600 YS ALSO HOSTED 2021 WELCOMING WEEK EVENTS TO PROMOTE BRIDGE-BUILDING FOR IMMIGRANTS AND IMMIGRANT-RECEIVING COMMUNITIES. YS CONTINUED THEIR COVID-EMERGENCY RESPONSE WORK BY CONTINUING TO OFFER HOUSING FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY THE ECONOMIC CRISIS, CONDUCTING WELLNESS CHECK-INS FOR ISOLATED SENIORS, HOSTING BLOOD DRIVES, AND MORE.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT: AT THE Y, WE BELIEVE AMERICA'S YOUNG PEOPLE ARE CHANGEMAKERS WITH THE SKILLS, COMMITMENT AND RESOURCES NECESSARY TO CREATE THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE ALL WANT TO LIVE IN. WE ALSO BELIEVE SUCCESS DEPENDS ON OUR COLLECTIVE ABILITY TO REACH AND INSPIRE THIS NEXT GENERATION TO BE GLOBALLY MINDED, CIVICALLY-ENGAGED PROBLEM SOLVERS. THE Y'S YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT PROGRAM CONTINUED TO PROVIDE THOUSANDS OF TEENS NATIONWIDE WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN EXPERIENTIAL CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND PRACTICE DEMOCRACY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH WAS ALSO A TOP PRIORITY IN 2021 AS YS WORKED TO BRING ELEMENTS OF MUCH-NEEDED NORMALCY BACK INTO THE LIVES OF KIDS AND FAMILIES WHO HAD EXPERIENCED SOCIAL ISOLATION, FEAR AND ANXIETY THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC. THE Y PROVIDED THIS SUPPORT TO MILLIONS OF CHILDREN THROUGH ITS MANY YOUTH OFFERINGS, INCLUDING AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, CHILD CARE, HEAD START PROGRAMS, SPORTS, SWIM LESSONS AND MORE. THESE ACTIVITIES PROVIDED A HEALTHY OUTLET FOR CHILDREN TO GAIN NEW SKILLS, DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS, EXERCISE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND CONNECT WITH POSITIVE ROLE MODELS. THESE OFFERINGS HAVE ALSO BEEN INVALUABLE FOR THE THOUSANDS OF PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS RETURNING TO THE WORKFORCE FOLLOWING THE LIFTING OF STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS IN 2021.

HEALTHY LIVING: THE Y IS COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE NATION'S HEALTH, WHICH IS WHY YS PROVIDE A VARIETY OF EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS-IN-PERSON AND VIRTUALLY-DESIGNED TO HELP PEOPLE REDUCE THEIR RISK FOR OR MANAGE CHRONIC DISEASES. COLLECTIVELY, YS SERVED 201,692 PARTICIPANTS ACROSS 2,836 SITES IN PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE Y'S DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAM, BLOOD PRESSURE SELF-MONITORING (HEART DISEASE PREVENTION), LIVESTRONG AT THE YMCA (CANCER SURVIVORSHIP), AND ENHANCE FITNESS (ARTHRITIS MANAGEMENT) THE TOLL COVID-19 TOOK ON OUR COUNTRY'S MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH WAS OF UPMOST CONCERN TO THE Y THROUGHOUT 2021. IN RESPONSE, YS CONTINUED PROVIDING ACCESS TO TOOLS AND SUPPORT THAT HELP INDIVIDUALS RECLAIM AND SUSTAIN POSITIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES. THE NATIONAL OFFICE ALSO DEVELOPED A VARIETY OF MENTAL HEALTH TOOLS TO HELP Y STAFF SUPPORT COMMUNITY MEMBERS FACING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.