Ymca Of Greater Charlotte

THE MISSION OF THE YMCA OF GREATER CHARLOTTE IS TO PUT CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT BUILD HEALTHY SPIRIT, MIND AND BODY FOR ALL.

HEALTHY LIVING: IN 2023, THE YMCA OF GREATER CHARLOTTE OPERATED 17 CENTERS AND 2 RESIDENT CAMPS THROUGHOUT THE CHARLOTTE METROPOLITAN AREA AND ENRICHED THE LIVES OF OVER 213,000 PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. THE YMCA HAD AN AVERAGE OF OVER 45,700 MEMBERSHIPS THROUGHOUT 2023, WHO HAD ACCESS TO FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS TO BUILD HEALTHY SPIRITS, MINDS AND BODIES. DURING THE YEAR, THE YMCA TAUGHT OVER 13,000 SWIM LESSONS, INSTILLING THE IMPORTANCE OF LIFE-SAVING WATER SAFETY SKILLS TO CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. ADDITIONALLY, OVER 1,500 CHILDREN WERE SERVED IN OUR SAFETY AROUND WATER DROWNING PREVENTION PROGRAM WHICH TEACHES CHILDREN HOW TO SWIM AND BASIC WATER SAFETY TIPS. DURING 2023, MEMBERS SCANNED INTO Y CENTERS OVER 3.7 MILLION TIMES AND GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES HAD OVER 765,000 PARTICIPANTS ACROSS THE ASSOCIATION IN WHICH MEMBERS EXPERIENCED THE BENEFITS OF A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. FOOD INSECURITY IN THE Y'S COMMUNITY HAS BEEN OF INCREASING CONCERN DURING AND POST-PANDEMIC. THROUGH FOODSHARES, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOAVES AND FISHES/NOURISHUP AND SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF METROLINA, 1,222,680 POUNDS OF FOOD WERE DISTRIBUTED TO 40,756 INDIVIDUALS IN NEED FROM YMCA CENTERS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NUTRITION HEALTHWORKS, 4,578 YMCA MEMBERS ATTENDED APPOINTMENTS FOR A PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES EDUCATION ABOUT MEAL PLANNING, NUTRITION COACHING AND METABOLIC TESTING TO PARTICIPANTS.

FAMILY LIFE: MECKLENBURG, IREDELL AND LINCOLN COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA ARE THE ASSOCIATION'S SERVICE AREA. STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND AGENCY PARTNERS COLLABORATED AT 17 CENTERS, TWO RESIDENT CAMPS AND SCHOOLS TO 1) DEVELOP YOUTH CHARACTER AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS, 2) PREVENT DROWNING, 3) IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE FACING HEALTH CHALLENGES AND 4) PROVIDE INCREASED ACCESS AND BELONGING FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, ETHNICITIES, ABILITIES AND INCOME LEVELS. ACROSS ALL MEMBERSHIP AND PROGRAMMING ACTIVITIES, THE YMCA OF GREATER CHARLOTTE ENRICHED THE LIVES OF OVER 213,000 PEOPLE IN 2023. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE THROUGH A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM OFFERING A DISCOUNTED RATE STRUCTURE FOR MEMBERSHIP AND PROGRAM ACCESS BASED ON HOUSEHOLD INCOME. THE Y'S Y READERS PROGRAM, A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LITERACY INTERVENTION PROGRAM WHICH SERVES RISING KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE STUDENTS TO INCREASE THEIR CHANCE OF MEETING THIRD GRADE READING REQUIREMENTS AND GRADUATING ON TIME FROM HIGH SCHOOL SERVED MORE THAN 1,000 STUDENTS IN 2023. IT IS LED BY CERTIFIED TEACHERS AND SUPPORTED BY COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS. ADDITIONALLY, OVER 2,600 STUDENTS GREW ACADEMICALLY WITH LITERACY INSTRUCTION TO IMPROVE READING PROFICIENCY INFUSED WITHIN Y PROGRAMS. PARENT EDUCATORS SERVED 200 PARENTS AS TEACHERS FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE IN 2023. THIS EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM INFLUENCES PARENTS' AWARENESS OF THEMSELVES AS TEACHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN AND GUIDES PARENTS ON PRACTICAL MATTERS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD HEALTH. FAMILIES SERVED EXHIBIT AT LEAST ONE HIGH-NEED PROTECTIVE FACTOR SUCH AS LOW HOUSEHOLD INCOME, LOW PARENT EDUCATION LEVEL OR LACK OF INSURANCE. ALMOST 1,400 TEENS LEARNED CRUCIAL LIFE SKILLS THROUGH JOB PREPARATION AND COLLEGE READINESS AND HAD ACCESS TO ACTIVITIES IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT IN PROGRAMS LIKE LEVEL UP, LEADERS CLUB, Y ACHIEVERS, LEADERS TEAM AND TEEN ENRICHMENT. ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSES WERE PROVIDED FOR 499 PARTICIPANTS DURING 2023. THE YMCA OFFERS ADAPTIVE PROGRAMS IN WATER SKIING, DANCE TEAM, CHEERLEADING, SWIM LESSONS, BASKETBALL AND MIRACLE LEAGUE BASEBALL. CAMP BOOMERANG IS A SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCE FOR CHILDREN WITH DIVERSE ABILITIES. OVER 500 PARTICIPANTS TOOK PART IN ADAPTIVE AND ACCESSIBLE PROGRAMMING IN 2023.

DAY CAMP/OUTDOOR: DURING THE 2023 SUMMER, THE Y SERVED 2,862 UNIQUE CAMPERS IN 8,000 CAMPER WEEKS AT OUR 2 RESIDENT CAMPS IN DAY AND RESIDENT CAMP PROGRAMS. RESIDENT CAMP FOLLOWS AMERICAN CAMPING ASSOCIATION ACCREDITATION GUIDELINES. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST FORMATIVE EXPERIENCES IN A YOUNG PERSON'S LIFE. CAMPERS BUILD CHARACTER VALUES, DEVELOP SELF-RELIANCE, LEARN GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP AND CUMULATIVE INTERPERSONAL SKILLS. THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER AT CAMP THUNDERBIRD SERVED OVER 9,600 SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN. WITH A FOCUS ON ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, THE EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES ENCOURAGE TEAM-BUILDING AND UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH CURRICULUM. THE Y'S CONFERENCE AND RETREAT PROGRAM AT BOTH RESIDENT CAMPS SERVED ALMOST 15,000 ADULTS. THIS PROGRAM OFFERS TEAM-BUILDING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES ON A Y CAMPGROUND.