Greater Valley Young Mens Christian Association

THE MISSION OF THE YMCA IS TO PUT CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES INTO ACTION THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT BUILD HEALTHY SPIRIT, MIND AND BODY FOR ALL. AT THE Y, STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY IS OUR CAUSE. WE BELIEVE THAT POSITIVE, LASTING PERSONAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE CAN ONLY COME ABOUT WHEN WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO INVEST IN OUR KIDS, OUR HEALTH, AND OUR NEIGHBORS. THAT'S WHY WE FOCUS OUR WORK IN THREE AREAS: YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, HEALTHY LIVING AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT THE YMCA 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. OUR YMCA PROGRAMS OFFER A RANGE OF EXPERIENCES THAT ENRICH SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, COGNITIVE, AND PHYSICAL GROWTH. OUR CHILD CARE PROGRAM OFFERS HIGH QUALITY CHILD CARE ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOL AND SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN FROM ALL SEGMENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. OUR DAY CAMP OFFERS ADVENTURE AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES THAT PROVIDE CHALLENGE, EDUCATION AND PROMOTE SPIRITUAL AWARENESS, MENTAL DEVELOPMENT, PHYSICAL WELL-BEING, SOCIAL GROWTH, AND SELF RESPECT. THE GREATER VALLEY YMCA OFFERS A WIDE VARIETY OF PROGRAMS THAT HELP PROMOTE THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH. OUR YMCA SERVES HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN FROM THE COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR RANGE OF YEAR ROUND, CHILDCARE SERVICES THAT WERE ADMINISTERED OVER SIX SITES. CHILDREN AGES 6 WEEKS TO 6 YEARS ARE CARED FOR AT THE KEYSTONE STARS ACCREDITED EDUCATION CENTER SITES LOCATED IN FORKS TOWNSHIP, ALLENTOWN AND BETHLEHEM BRANCHES. THE GREATER VALLEY YMCA HAS THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS IDENTIFIED AS AT RISK OF SCHOOL FAILURE DUE TO INCOME, LEARNING DISABILITY OR THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH BEING AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER. STUDENTS EXPERIENCE THE TYPE OF HIGH QUALITY PRE KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION THAT WILL ADEQUATELY PREPARE THEM FOR KINDERGARTEN. THIS EDUCATION IS OFFERED AT NO COST TO FAMILIES WHO MEET THE INCOME GUIDELINES. CHILDREN GRADUATING FROM YMCA PRESCHOOL AND PRE KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED AS SCORING IN THE TOP 10% OF CHILDREN ENTERING KINDERGARTEN AT A LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. ABOUT 35% OF OUR SCHOOL-AGE CHILD CARE PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE DURING THE. SCHOOL YEAR, BENEFIT FROM FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OR STATE SUBSIDY. EACH SUMMER, OUR DAY CAMP MAINTAINS AN ENROLLMENT OF 450 WEEKLY. DAY CAMP IMPLEMENTS PROGRAMMING THAT SPRINGBOARD OFF THE SCHOOL AGE PROGRAM AND EXPANDS TO INCLUDE A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES THAT BRING PURPOSEFUL PLAY AND MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES TO CHILDREN. OUR YMCA ALSO OFFER SPECIALTY CAMPS THAT HELP PARTICIPANTS DELVE DEEPER INTO AREAS OF INTEREST, DEVELOP TALENT, AND FOSTER INTEREST IN LEARNING. TEEN PROGRAMMING INCLUDES LEADERS IN TRAINING (LIT), DESIGNED FOR YOUTH AGES 13 AND 14. EACH SUMMER, ABOUT 12 TEENS PARTICIPATE IN THE LEADERS IN TRAINING PROGRAM WHICH OPERATES HAND-IN-HAND WITH OUR DAY CAMP PROGRAM. OTHER PROGRAMMING INCLUDES THE TEEN CENTER, WHICH SERVES KIDS IN GRADES 5 THROUGH 12. ABOUT TWENTY TEENS VISIT THE TEEN CENTER EACH DAY AFTER SCHOOL.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AS PART OF OUR YMCA'S FOCUS ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, WE HELP AT-RISK FAMILIES ACQUIRE THE SKILLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO BE WELL AND HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL. OUR YMCA BRANCHES OFFER PARENTS NIGHT OUT SOME MONTHLY, NINE MONTHS PER YEAR, OTHERS PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND ENCOURAGES COUPLES TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER, REFUEL AND NURTURE THE MARRIAGE ALL WHILE KNOWING THAT CHILDREN ARE WELL CARED FOR BY QUALIFIED YMCA STAFF. MANY SINGLE PARENTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PARENTS NIGHT OUT AS WELL. THE YMCAS OUTREACH AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT IS FURTHER REALIZED BY THE MANAGEMENT OF FOUR COMMUNITY POOLS; TWO OWNED BY THE CITY OF EASTON, PA (EDDYSIDE AND HEIL POOL) ONE OWNED BY CATASAUQUA BOROUGH (CATASAUQUA POOL) AND ONE OWNED BY BOROUGH OF FOUNTAIN HILL (FOUNTAIN HILL). EDDYSIDE AND HEIL POOL SERVE A COMBINED 300 MEMBERSHIPS AND 13,000 DAY PASSES EACH SUMMER. HEIL POOL, IN PARTICULAR, IS LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN, WHICH IS MARKED BY LOWER INCOME DEMOGRAPHICS. OTHER ANNUAL EVENTS OFFERED BY OUR BRANCHES INCLUDE THE FIRECRACKER 4 MILER, WOMENS 5K RUN FOR BREAST CANCER, PROMISE OF SPRING CANCER LUNCHEON, ETC. OUR YMCA STRATEGICALLY LOOKS AT THE GREATEST NEEDS OF RESIDENTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND RESPONDS WITH SOLUTIONS SUCH AS FOOD AND CLOTHING BANKS AS WELL AS GIFT COLLECTIONS FOR CHILDREN DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON . IN 2018, WE PARTICIPATED IN A SUMMER FEEDING PROGRAM. WE'RE HELPING KIDS REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL BY PROVIDING FREE ACCESS TO HEALTHY SNACKS AND MEALS WHEN SCHOOL'S OUT FOR THE SUMMER AT FIVE LOCATIONS IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A NEED FROM THE COMMUNITY TO SHELTER THE HOMELESS MEN AND WOMEN IN ALLENTOWN AND THE ALLENTOWN BRANCH OPENED UP A WARMING STATION WITH THE HELP OF THE COMMUNITY AND SOME LARGE DONORS.

HEALTHY LIVING- 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 INTEREST. PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY RECEIVE SUPPORT, GUIDANCE AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO ACHIEVE GREATER HEALTH IN SPIRIT, MIND, AND BODY. THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT AS OUR NATION STRUGGLES WITH CHRONIC DISEASE AND OBESITY, FAMILIES WRESTLE WITH WORK/LIFE BALANCE, AGING, ADDITIONS AND INDIVIDUALS SEARCH FOR PERSONAL FULFILLMENT. OUR PROGRAMS ARE ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE AND OPEN TO ALL FAITHS, BACKGROUNDS, ABILITIES AND INCOME LEVELS. AT OUR YMCA, WE HOLD OUTREACH EVENTS THAT PROMOTE HEALTHLY LIVING, WELLNESS AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. A MAJOR EVENT HELD AT OUR YMCA BRANCHES EACH YEAR IS HEALTHY KIDS DAY. HEALTHY KIDS DAY WELCOMES OVER 1,700 PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY AND SERVES AS A MAJOR VENUE FOR SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AND CONNECTING FAMILIES WITH OTHER WELLNESS RESOURCES FOUND LOCALLY.

OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES: ADMIN BRANCH SUPPORT, RENTAL INCOME AND MISCELLANEOUS