Marshalltown Young Mens Christian Association-Ywca

INTERACTION/FITNESS AMONG Y MEMBERS

THE MARSHALLTOWN YMCA-YWCA'S FOCUS IS ON STRENGTHENING FAMILIES, DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP IN YOUTH, PROMOTING HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND ASSISTING WITH POSITIVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE MARSHALLTOWN YMCA-YWCA WELCOMES EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF AGE, RACE, SEX, FAITH, ETHNICITY, ABILITY OR RELIGION. IN 2021, THE MARSHALLTOWN YMCA-YWCA PROVIDED $98,450 IN MEMBERSHIP AND PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE TO A TOTAL OF 1,441 CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH FINANCIAL NEED. THE Y ALSO PROVIDED INDIRECT ASSISTANCE TO NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS WHO UTILIZED FACILITY SPACE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. A TOTAL OF 558 VOLUNTEERS DONATED THEIR TIME TO THE MARSHALLTOWN YMCA-YWCA IN 2021 TO HELP WITH VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND EVENTS, AS WELL AS SERVING ON THE BOARD AND COMMITTEES. THE Y EMPHASIZES CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IN ALL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES PROMOTING THE CORE VALUES OF CARING, HONESTY, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, LEADERSHIP, RACIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT. AN ANNUAL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN IS HELD EACH YEAR. THERE WERE 297 INDIVIDUALS, COMPANIES AND FOUNDATIONS THAT MADE CONTRIBUTIONS TO HELP PROVIDE THE SCHOLARSHIPS GIVEN BY THE Y IN 2021 TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN NEED.PROGRAM/SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 1) THE MARSHALLTOWN YMCA-YWCA IS COMMITTED TO NURTURING THE POTENTIAL OF EVERY CHILD AND TEEN. WE BELIEVE ALL KIDS HAVE GREAT POTENTIAL AND DESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCOVER WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY CAN ACHIEVE. THAT'S WHY WE HELP YOUNG PEOPLE CULTIVATE THE VALUES, SKILLS AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT LEAD TO POSITIVE BEHAVIORS, BETTER HEALTH AND EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT. WITH NUMEROUS CHANGES IN CHILDREN'S LIVES DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE Y STRIVED TO BE A CONSTANT, A PLACE THAT IS ALWAYS HERE FOR THEM. WHILE THEY Y STAFF WORKED HARD TO KEEP UP WITH CLEANING AND SANITIZING PROCEDURES, THEY ALSO FOUND A NEW AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO KEEP YOUTH SAFELY ENGAGED. THERE WERE 67 CHILDREN THAT PARTICIPATED IN FIT KIDS IN 2021 AND 85 CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN THE Y'S SUMMER DAY CAMP PROGRAM. PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIPS WERE OFFERED TO CHILDREN WITH FINANCIAL NEED. THE Y PRESCHOOL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MARSHALLTOWN COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFERED THE STATEWIDE FREE FOUR-YEAR-OLD PROGRAM TO 17 CHILDREN. THE Y'S PROGRAM FOLLOWS THE SAME CURRICULUM AS OTHER PROGRAMS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ALONG WITH Y ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES SUCH AS SWIMMING, ART ACTIVITIES AND FITNESS INSTRUCTION. THE Y LICENSED PRESCHOOL ALSO SERVED 17 THREE-YEAR-OLDS. THE Y LICENSED PRESCHOOL OFFERS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES IN NEED. THE Y'S SAFETY AROUND WATER (SAW) PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED IN 2021 TO ALL YOUTH IN THE MARSHALLTOWN COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN GRADES 4, 6 AND 8. IN ALL THERE WERE 732 YOUTH WHO PARTICIPATED AND LEARNED SIX BASIC SKILLS TO KEEP THEM SAFE IN AND AROUND THE WATER. 200 CHILDREN ALSO COMPLETED THE SAW PROGRAM IN THE SUMMER. ANOTHER SWIM SAFETY PROGRAM, JOSH THE OTTER, WAS OFFERED VIRTUALLY TO ALL CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE IN MSCD.2) THE Y IS COMMITTED TO IMPROVING AMERICA'S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, COMMUNITY BY COMMUNITY. WE BRING FAMILIES CLOSER TOGETHER, ENCOURAGE GOOD HEALTH AND FOSTER CONNECTIONS THROUGH FITNESS, SPORTS, FUN AND SHARED INTERESTS. OUR PROGRAMS ARE ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE AND OPEN TO ALL FAITHS, BACKGROUNDS, ABILITIES AND INCOME LEVELS. IN 2021, THE MARSHALLTOWN YMCA-YWCA PROVIDED $98,450 IN MEMBERSHIP AND PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE TO A TOTAL OF 1,441 PEOPLE WHO OTHERWISE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD TO PARTICIPATE. THE MARSHALLTOWN YMCA-YWCA CONTINUES TO OFFER THE LIVESTRONG AT THE Y; A FREE 12-WEEK PROGRAM FOR CANCER SURVIVORS TAILORED TO FIT SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER TREATMENT. DEMENTIA IS A DEVASTATING CONDITION THAT WREAKS HAVOC ON A PERSON'S PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL WELL-BEING. IN 2021, THE Y STARTED OFFERING THE "SAVING YOUR BRAIN & BODY" PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS. THIS IS A 10-WEEK, EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM THAT FOCUS ON TEACHING LIFESTYLE CHANGES THAT CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF DEMENTIA BY UP TO 70%.3) OUR Y BELIEVES IN GIVING BACK AND SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBORS. WE HAVE BEEN LISTENING AND RESPONDING TO OUR COMMUNITY'S MOST CRITICAL NEEDS FOR MANY YEARS. WE HAVE ALSO OPENED OUR DOORS AND COLLABORATED WITH SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND EVENTS. IN AUGUST OF 2020, A DERECHO (POWERFUL STORM WITH EXTREMELY HIGH WINDS) SWEPT ACROSS THE STATE OF IOWA. OUR CITY OF MARSHALLTOWN WAS STILL RECOVERING FROM THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY AN F3 TORNADO TWO YEARS PRIOR. MULTIPLE BUILDINGS AND PUBLIC SPACES WERE DAMAGED AND SOME CLOSED. WHEN THE FISHER COMMUNITY CENTER CLOSED IN 2020 DUE TO DAMAGE FROM THE DERECHO, THE MARSHALLTOWN AREA UNITED WAY HAD AN URGENT NEED TO RELOCATE ITS OFFICES AND THEIR OPERATIONS MOVED TO A SPACE PROVIDED BY THE Y. THEY CONTINUED TO USE THIS SPACE IN 2021. THE CLOSURE OF THE FISHER COMMUNITY CENTER ALSO CREATED A NEED FOR POLLING SITE DURING ELECTION TIME AND THE CHILD CARE ROOM OF THEY Y WAS UTILIZED DURING RECENT ELECTIONS.