Young Men Christian Association Of Western North Carolina

OUR MISSION IS TO PUT CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT BUILD HEALTHY SPIRIT, MIND, AND BODY FOR ALL. THE YMCA IS A PLACE OF INCLUSIVENESS AND BELONGING. WE EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL, IMPROVE INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY WELL-BEING, AND GIVE BACK AND INSPIRE ACTION IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THE YMCA WELCOMES ALL. WE SERVE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, SIZES, COLORS, GENDERS, BELIEFS, ABILITIES, AND INCOMES.

IN AN EFFORT TO SERVE EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITY TO PAY, THE YMCA OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND SUBSIDIZED SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE BE UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN YMCA PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. THE MOST IMPORTANT MEASURE OF THE YMCA IS THE IMPACT WE HAVE ON THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. THROUGH OUR SEVEN CENTERS, MORE THAN 30 CHILDCARE SITES, AND PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, THE YMCA HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT ON PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS. OUR CHARITABLE WORK SUPPORTS YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, HEALTHY LIVING, AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. BELOW ARE PROGRAMS THAT MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT IN THOSE AREAS. YOUTH DEVELOPMENT - HORIZONS HORIZONS IS A FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES FREE AFTERSCHOOL SERVICES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IT EMPHASIZES ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT BY INCLUDING ONE HOUR OF DAILY MATH/LITERACY TUTORING AND HOMEWORK HELP LED BY CERTIFIED TEACHERS. - AFTERSCHOOL CHILDCARE OUR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS PROVIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES THAT OFFER A COMBINATION OF INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP ACTIVITIES BASED ON WEEKLY THEMES AND LESSON PLANS. THESE PROGRAMS INCORPORATE THE NATIONAL HEALTHY EATING AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (HEPA) STANDARDS, INCREASING THE PHYSICAL WELL-BEING OF PARTICIPANTS AND PROMOTING HEALTH-PROMOTING BEHAVIORS. - REMOTE LEARNING CENTERS FROM OCTOBER 2020 THROUGH JUNE 2021, THE Y OPERATED REMOTE LEARNING CENTERS PROVIDING ACADEMIC SUPPORTS IN TWO COUNTIES. THE CENTERS WERE OPEN 50 HOURS A WEEK AND SERVED 500 STUDENTS A DAY. BREAKFAST AND LUNCH WERE PROVIDED, AND THE PROGRAMS WERE SEL- AND HEPA-COMPLIANT. - SUMMER DAY CAMP AT SUMMER DAY CAMP, CHILDREN AGES 5-15 HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS, LEARN NEW SKILLS, AND EXPLORE THE WORLD AROUND THEM. THE Y OFFERS A VARIETY OF CAMPS TO FIT THE NEEDS OF FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. - CAMP HORIZONS CAMP HORIZONS IS A FREE SEVEN-WEEK SUMMER LEARNING-LOSS PREVENTION PROGRAM TARGETING ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH. STUDENTS RECEIVE ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUSED ON STEM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATH), LITERACY, ARTS, AND CULTURE, AND ENRICHING RECREATION, ALL OF WHICH ALIGN WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA COMMON CORE AND ESSENTIAL STANDARDS. - YMCA CAMP WATIA YMCA CAMP WATIA IS AN AFFORDABLE OVERNIGHT CAMP FOR ALL CHILDREN IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, REGARDLESS OF FAMILY INCOME. IT IS MADE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL FAMILIES THROUGH COMPARATIVELY LOW COSTS AND SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. HEALTHY LIVING - AQUATICS PROGRAMS THE Y OFFERS LESSONS FOR SWIMMERS OF ALL LEVELS AND AGES, INCLUDING FUN, EDUCATIONAL CLASSES FOR CHILDREN AGES 3 MONTHS THROUGH 12 YEARS. WE ALSO OFFER SAFETY AROUND WATER, A FOUR-TO-EIGHT LESSON SCHOLARSHIP-BASED PROGRAM THAT TEACHES CHILDREN HOW TO BE SAFE IN AND NEAR BODIES OF WATER, AS WELL AS SOME BASIC SWIM SKILLS. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE THE PIRANHAS, A YEAR-ROUND COMPETITIVE SWIM TEAM FOR SWIMMERS AGES 6-18. - YOUTH SPORTS YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMS HONOR THE CORE Y VALUES OF CARING, HONESTY, RESPECT, AND RESPONSIBILITY. WE STRIVE TO PROVIDE A QUALITY EXPERIENCE FOR PLAYERS, COACHES, AND FAMILIES, AND WE PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF EACH ATHLETE TO REACH THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL THROUGH SKILL REFINEMENT, TEAMWORK, AND SPORTSMANSHIP. WE SERVE YOUTH AGES 3-14. - NUTRITION PROGRAMS ACCESS TO FRESH, HEALTHY FOOD IS A SOCIAL DETERMINANT OF HEALTH THAT CAN AFFECT PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO THRIVE. THE Y IS DEDICATED TO IMPROVING ACCESS AND FOOD SECURITY. WE DO THIS BY DISTRIBUTING FRESH PRODUCE AT NO CHARGE, WITH NO QUESTIONS ASKED, AND BY OFFERING PRACTICAL, COST-EFFECTIVE COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS AND NUTRITION EDUCATION. WE DO THIS AT MOBILE FOOD MARKETS IN SEVERAL COUNTIES EACH MONTH. WE ALSO OPERATE A CENTRAL HUB TO RECEIVE, SORT, AND STORE DONATED FOOD BEFORE DISTRIBUTING IT AT MOBILE FOOD MARKETS. THE YMCA NUTRITION TEAM ALSO MANAGES MULTIPLE AFTERSCHOOL MEAL SITES AND SUMMER MEALS SITES. - LIVESTRONG AT THE YMCA LIVESTRONG AT THE YMCA IS A FREE 12-WEEK, EVIDENCE-BASED, SMALL-GROUP PROGRAM FOR ADULT CANCER SURVIVORS WHO HAVE BECOME DECONDITIONED OR CHRONICALLY FATIGUED FROM THEIR DISEASE OR TREATMENT. GOALS OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDE BUILDING MUSCLE MASS AND STRENGTH, INCREASING FLEXIBILITY AND ENDURANCE, AND IMPROVING FUNCTIONAL ABILITY. IN 2021 WE PRESENTED THIS PROGRAM VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON. - DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAM OUR DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAM IS A YEAR-LONG, COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM FOR OVERWEIGHT ADULTS AT RISK OF DEVELOPING TYPE 2 DIABETES. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR PARTICIPANTS TO WORK TOGETHER IN A SMALL GROUP TO LEARN ABOUT EATING BETTER AND INCREASING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, BOTH OF WHICH HELP REDUCE THE RISK FOR DEVELOPING DIABETES. OUR MINORITY DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAM SERVES THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES. IN 2021 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS MET ONLINE. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY - FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WE OFFER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR YMCA PROGRAMS AND MEMBERSHIPS ON A CASE- BY-CASE BASIS TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD THEM. OUR SLIDING-SCALE FEES FIT EACH INDIVIDUAL'S OR FAMILY'S FINANCIAL SITUATION. WE DO NOT TURN AWAY ANYONE FOR THE INABILITY TO PAY. - DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION THE YMCA OF WNC IS DEDICATED TO WELCOMING ALL. WE ARE A PART OF THE YMCA OF THE USA'S DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND GLOBAL (DIG) INNOVATION NETWORK, A COHORT OF YS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IN FAST-GROWING AREAS THAT ARE LEADING THE Y MOVEMENT'S EFFORTS IN OUTREACH TO DIVERSE AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND DRIVING PROGRAM INNOVATION SO THAT EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY ARE OR WHERE THEY COME FROM HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. LOCALLY, WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE WNC DIVERSITY ENGAGEMENT COALITION, A NETWORK OF ORGANIZATIONS DEDICATED TO IMPROVING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE. WE OFFER CULTURAL LENSES AND DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY TRAINING TO STAFF, ALONG WITH QUARTERLY WORKSHOPS. INCLUSION TRAINING IS PART OF THE ORIENTATION PROCESS FOR DAY AND OVERNIGHT CAMP STAFF.