Young Mens Christian Association Of The Iowa Mississippi Valley

THE YMCA BUILDS HEALTHY SPIRIT, MIND AND BODY FOR ALL AND BRINGS ITS MISSION TO LIFE BY TEACHING AND DEMONSTRATING OUR CORE VALUES OF CARING, HONESTY, RESPECT, AND RESPONSIBILITY. THE YMCA IS COMMITTED TO INCLUSIVENESS AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WITH INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY

HEALTHY LIVING WITH OUR NEW BITTNER YMCA BRANCH CONTINUING SERVICE GROWTH THROUGHOUT REGION, AND A NEW FACILITY COLLABORATION COMING ON-LINE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, OUR YMCA HIT A RECORD MARK FOR MEMBER SERVICE. WE GRANTED 19.6% SCHOLARSHIPS AND SERVED 73,065 PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, BACKGROUNDS, SOCIO-ECONOMIC LEVELS AND RELIGIONS. ALTHOUGH NOT A TREMENDOUS NUMBER IN COMPARISON, WE WERE ABLE TO INVEST IN A NEW EGYM SYSTEM AT THREE LOCATIONS THAT SERVED 1764 OF OUR MEMBERS. OUR USAGE WAS THE HIGHEST AMONG YMCAS USING THIS NEW PROGRAM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE CONTINUED TO SEE A GROWTH IN ENGAGEMENT AND SERVICE AT THE NEW BITTNER YMCA, AS WELL. WE CELEBRATED 12,200 MEMBERS IN FEBRUARY OF WHICH 38% RECEIVED MEMBERSHIP SCHOLARSHIPS. SENIOR MEMBERSHIP SUBSIDIES HAVE BECOME AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF OUR SERVICE LINE TO OUR COMMUNITY. ON AVERAGE, WE COVER HALF OF THE MONTHLY CHARGES FOR OLDER ADULTS WHO RECEIVE MEMBERSHIP THROUGH THEIR INSURANCE PROVIDERS. IN 2023, WE PROVIDED $1,844,500 IN DIRECT SUBSIDY, WHICH INCLUDES COVERAGE TO HEALTH PLANS THAT PROVIDE FEES, TO ENSURE THAT THE OLDER ADULTS OF OUR COMMUNITY HAD A SAFE AND CARING ENVIRONMENT TO BE HEALTHY. A CRUCIAL DRIVER OF MEMBER SATISFACTION IS ACCESS TO UNLIMITED GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES. WE PROVIDE OVER 213 OPPORTUNITIES TO JOIN TOGETHER IN PERSON WITH OTHERS. WE HAD NEARLY 161,451 PARTICIPATIONS IN LAND AND WATER EXERCISE CLASSES. WE ALSO FIND IT TO BE MISSION-CRITICAL THAT WE NOT ONLY SELL MEMBERSHIPS TO FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THAT WE ALSO ALIGN OUR MEMBERSHIP DELIVERY TO INCREASE USAGE. A PRIMARY TOOL TO ACCOMPLISH THIS COMPONENT OF OUR MEMBERSHIP IS TO COVER THE COSTS (UP TO $100 PER MEMBER) SO EACH NEW MEMBER WILL RECEIVE TWO SESSIONS OF FACE-TO-FACE COACHING AND TRAINING BY A CERTIFIED TRAINER. OUR DATA SHOWS THAT BY THIS INVESTMENT IN A TRAINER, MEMBERS USAGE INCREASES AND RETENTION NEARLY DOUBLES SO THAT THE MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE GETTING HEALTHIER BECAUSE OF THE PRESENCE OF OUR Y.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT OUR Y BEGAN BY SERVING DISENGAGED YOUTH 165 YEARS AGO, AND THIS REMAINS A MAJOR FOCUS OF OUR COMMUNITY-BUILDING WORK. WE CONTINUE TO BE A LEADER IN QUALITY CHILD CARE AND PRESCHOOL IN THE THREE COUNTIES WE SERVE. WE ARE PROUD THAT OVER 42% OF FAMILIES RECEIVED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE OUR HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMS. OUR CONTINUED FOCUS ON SERVICES TO FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN MADE ADDITIONAL IMPACTS IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. ALTHOUGH STAFFING LEVELS CONTINUED TO BE A CHALLENGE THAT LIMITED OUR CAPACITY, OUR CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN OPERATIONS AT TWO EARLY LEARNING CENTERS, WHICH 42% WERE SCHOLARSHIP OR DHS FUNDED. WE SERVED 320 CHILDREN FROM THE AGES OF 6 WEEKS THROUGH KINDERGARTEN, AND WE SUCCESSFULLY REPORT THAT 100% OF OUR PARTICIPANTS GRADUATED PRESCHOOL AND TESTED "READY FOR KINDERGARTEN" WHICH IS A KEY INDICATOR IN EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR A STUDENT'S LIFE. THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH TWO SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND OUR DHS LICENSING OF FOUR OF OUR BRANCH FACILITIES, WE PROVIDED SAFE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING TO 466 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS. AS POST-PANDEMIC SOCIAL EMOTIONAL STRESS AND NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS CONTINUED TO CREATE OBSTACLES FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF IN OUR SCHOOLS, THE NEED FOR THE YMCA OUTREACH PROGRAMS HAVE BECAME MORE CRITICAL THAN EVER. INCREASED BURDENS ARE BEING PLACED ON EDUCATORS AND THE JUVENILE JUSTICE PROGRAM, TEAMS, AND THE YMCA OUTREACH PROGRAM IS PERFECTLY SUITED TO CONNECT AND ENGAGE STUDENTS, YOUNG ADULTS, AND FAMILIES TO THE MANY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS AVAILABLE. THE Y'S OUTREACH PROGRAMS ARE LED BY TWO, FULL-TIME PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE BEEN RAISED AND EDUCATED HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES COMPARE WELL TO WHAT THE AT-RISK STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ARE EXPERIENCING, WHICH ENABLES THEM TO QUICKLY BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, GAIN TRUST, SET GOALS, PROVIDE INCENTIVES AND HOLD ACCOUNTABLE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. WE ALSO INCREASED COLLABORATIVE WORK WITH SUBSIDIZED HOUSING COMMUNITIES AND EDUCATION/JOB/CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. THIS PROVIDED INCREASED RESOURCES FOR OUR OUTREACH TEAM TO DEVELOP INCENTIVIZED PLANS FOR THE 200 STUDENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS THEY WORKED WITH AND MENTORED IN 2023. THE OUTCOMES WE MEASURE INCLUDE OVER 84% OF PARTICIPANTS IMPROVING GRADES, OVER 90% IMPROVING ATTENDANCE, OVER 85% OF AGE/GRADE LEVEL-APPROPRIATE PARTICIPANTS GRADUATING OR GETTING THEIR GED, OVER 70% IMPROVING TEST SCORES, ALMOST EVERY STUDENT IMPROVES SOCIAL EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP. OUR YMCA, WITH STAFF LEADERSHIP AND DONOR SUPPORT, WAS ABLE TO OFFER SAFE SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS AT SEVEN LOCATIONS, INCLUDING YMCA CAMP ABE LINCOLN, OUR 250-ACRE NATURE PROGRAMMING AREA. WE HAD 879 CHILDREN PARTICIPATE IN DAY CAMPS, WHICH INCLUDED NEARLY 116 STUDENTS WHO WERE ABLE TO ATTEND ON SCHOLARSHIP. YOUTH SPORTS CONTINUES TO BE A CRUCIAL COMPONENT OF OUR MISSION-DRIVEN PROGRAM LINE. AS WE GAINED CONTROL OF AN INDOOR SPORTS FACILITY THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF BETTENDORF, WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE MORE KIDS. IN TOTAL 3,176 CHILDREN USED SPORTS PROGRAMS AT OUR YMCA TO LEARN CONFIDENCE AND SOCIAL SKILLS, AS WELL AS BEGINNING HEALTHY HABITS THAT ARE INTENDED TO STAY WITH THEM FOR LIFE. OUR NEW FACILITY ALSO PROVIDED A MORE CONSISTENT ENVIRONMENT TO PROVIDE GYMNASTICS, TUMBLING AND NINJA ZONE CLASSES. IN TOTAL, THERE WERE 4545 REGISTRATIONS FOR THIS PROGRAM. WE ALSO BUILT CONNECTION AND ENGAGEMENT AND SAFE SWIMMING WITH 3777 SWIM LESSONS. YOUNG KIDS ALSO INTERACTED AND PLAYED TOGETHER SIX DAYS A WEEK WITH ALMOST 40,141 VISITS TO OUR CHILD WATCH CENTERS IN OUR BRANCH FACILITIES.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY VOLUNTEERS, DONORS AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT CONTINUE TO DRIVE OUR CHARITABLE MISSION FORWARD. TOGETHER, OUR COMMUNITY RESOURCES ENSURE THAT NO ONE IS TURNED AWAY DUE TO AN INABILITY TO PAY AS WE MAINTAIN OUR BRAND PROMISE OF SERVICE TO ALL. ONE OF THE BEST INDICATORS OF THE SUPPORT WE PROVIDE TO OUR LOCAL CHILDREN, ADULTS, FAMILIES AND SENIORS IS THE AMOUNT OF DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. IN 2023, WE PROVIDED $1.21-MILLION THAT PROVIDED IMMEDIATE OPPORTUNITIES TO THOSE IN NEED. OUR ANNUAL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN ENSURES WE CAN PROVIDE THE LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE REQUIRED BY THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. IN 2023, 2,102 DONORS PROVIDE $986,000 IN GIFTS. FOR 165 YEARS, VOLUNTEERS HAVE LED OUR YMCA TO ENSURE WE ARE ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY APPROPRIATELY, PRIORITIZING CHALLENGES, AND SETTING THE BEST STRATEGIC AGENDA. BOTH OUR CORPORATE YMCA, AND OUR BRANCHES, HAVE THEIR OWN VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP TEAMS. WE WORK TO ENSURE THESE BOARDS ARE REFLECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE, AND COVER A SPECTRUM OF LEADERS FROM DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF BUSINESS, EDUCATION, NONPROFIT AND FAITH-BASED COMMUNITIES. FINALLY, WE ARE HONORED TO BE RECOGNIZED BY CHARITY NAVIGATOR, THE LARGEST, INDEPENDENT EVALUATOR OF CHARITIES IN OUR COUNTRY. THIS YEAR, FOR THE 13TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR, WE WERE AWARDED THE 4-STAR AWARD, WHICH PLACES US IN THE TOP 2% OF NONPROFITS FOR FINANCIAL DILIGENCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN AMERICA.