Young Mens Christian Association Of Greater Richmond

TO PUT CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT BUILD HEALTHY SPIRIT, MIND & BODY FOR ALL.

HEALTHY LIVING IS THE LARGEST OF THE YMCA'S PROGRAM EXPENSES. THE Y'S COMMITMENT TO HEALTHY LIVING MAKES IT A LEADING VOICE ON HEALTH AND WELL-BEING IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE. OUR HEALTHY LIVING PHILOSOPHY RUNS THROUGH EVERY PROGRAM WE OFFER AND IT IS CENTRAL TO OUR MISSION. WE BRING FAMILIES CLOSER TOGETHER, ENCOURAGE GOOD HEALTH, AND FOSTER CONNECTIONS THROUGH FITNESS, FUN AND SHARED INTERESTS. DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE Y'S BRANCHES WERE CLOSED FOR 11 WEEKS IN 2020 AND WERE REOPENED UNDER STATE MANDATED LIMITATIONS WHICH WERE RELEASED GRADUALLY THROUGHOUT 2021. THE Y WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN OPERATIONS AT ALL OF ITS BRANCHES, ADDING AN AQUATICS CENTER DURING THIS PERIOD. THE Y CONTINUED TO PROVIDE AN INCREASING NUMBER OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR ITS MEMBERS DURING 2021 AND FOLLOWED STRICT PROTOCOLS TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT. THE ORGANIZATION WAS STILL ABLE TO SERVE APPROXIMATELY 134,000 PEOPLE IN 2021 AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 78,700 ACTUAL MEMBERS AT SEVENTEEN BRANCHES. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OF OVER $2.3 MILLION WAS GRANTED TO INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY OTHERWISE NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD THE FULL COST OF MEMBERSHIP.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IS THE SECOND LARGEST OF OUR PROGRAM EXPENSES. THE Y PROVIDES YOUTH WITH EDUCATION, SUPPORT, PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL GUIDANCE AND ENRICHMENT TO PREPARE THEM FOR A LIFETIME OF THRIVING. WE DO THIS BY PROVIDING ACADEMIC SUPPORT, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND PROMOTING HEALTHY EATING HABITS IN ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. WE OFFER CHILDREN AND TEENS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CULTIVATE THE VALUES, SKILLS AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT LEAD TO EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT, POSITIVE BEHAVIORS AND BETTER HEALTH. DURING 2021, THE Y EXPANDED YOUTH PROGRAMS WHICH HAD BEEN IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC IN 2020. IN THE SPRING, THE Y OFFERED VIRTUAL EDUCATION OPTIONS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RICHMOND AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IN THE SUMMER, THE Y EXPANDED ITS SUMMER CAMPS AND SERVED OVER 1,000 YOUTH WITH THE POWER SCHOLARS ACADEMY CURRICULUM. IN THE FALL OF 2021, WE RESUMED LICENSED CHILDCARE AT MANY OF THE REGION'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AT THE SAME TIME, YOUTH SPORTS ACTIVITIES AND TEEN LEADERS CLUBS GREW BACK TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS AS FAMILIES SOUGHT SAFE AND FUN ACTIVITIES FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IS THE THIRD LARGEST OF OUR PROGRAM EXPENSES. THE Y IS COMMITTED TO BEING ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE BY IDENTIFYING, ADDRESSING AND ELIMINATING ECONOMIC, GEOGRAPHICAL AND CULTURAL BARRIERS. AT THE Y, EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BELONG. THROUGH OUR NEW COMMUNITY IMPACT INITIATIVE, WE ARE EMPHASIZING COMMUNITY HEALTH, ADAPTIVE PROGRAMS, ACTIVE OLDER ADULTS, WELCOME CENTERS, AND SPIRITUALITY. WE DO THIS BY ENGAGING AND CONVENING THE VARYING DEMOGRAPHICS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY THROUGH OUR PROGRAM SERVICES AND VOLUNTEERISM. IN 2021, 6,800 INDIVIDUALS VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME, TALENT, AND TREASURE TO YMCA OF GREATER RICHMOND PROGRAMS. ALTHOUGH MANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WERE SHUT DOWN DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE Y INCREASED ITS PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY BY HOSTING BLOOD DRIVES, RUNNING FOOD COLLECTION EVENTS, DELIVERING FOOD TO FAMILIES WITH LIMITED ACCESS AND REACHING OUT TO SENIORS WHO WERE SEQUESTERED WITHIN THEIR HOMES. THE Y CONTINUED ITS LONGSTANDING BRIGHT BEGINNINGS PROGRAM BY COLLECTING SCHOOL SUPPLIES FROM COMMUNITY GROUPS AND PROVIDING SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE SUPPLIES TO 2,100 STUDENTS THROUGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THE Y EXPANDED SOCIAL NEEDS NAVIGATION PROGRAMS IN RICHMOND AND ASHLAND TO REACH OUT TO INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC, PROVIDING ACCESS TO FOOD, SHELTER AND HEALTHCARE RESOURCES. IN ADDITION, THE YMCA OF GREATER RICHMOND CONTINUED TO RAISE AWARENESS OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION ISSUES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND REMAINS A POSITIVE FORCE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OF $773,700 WAS GRANTED IN ORDER FOR YOUTH TO PARTICIPATE IN YMCA OUTREACH PROGRAMS.