Young Mens Christian Asso Jackson

TO SERVE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY BY PRACTICING CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES BUILDING SPIRIT, MIND & BODY.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENTOUR Y IS FOCUSED ON ENSURING EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IS PROVIDED TO ALL CHILDREN REGARDLESS OF OBSTACLES THEY MAY HAVE TO OVERCOME IN THEIR PERSONAL LIVES IN AN EFFORT TO HAVE THEM REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. WE BELIEVE IT IS OUR RIGHT TO ALLOW EVERY SINGLE CHILD AND TEEN TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO LEARN, GROW AND THRIVE. WE DO THIS THROUGH A COLLECTION OF WAYS INCLUDING OUR AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER DAY CAMP PROGRAMS, SPORTS PROGRAMS, AND FEEDING PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE. IN 2021 SEVEN HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE (721) YOUTH PARTICIPATED IN THE YMCA'S CHILDCARE PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN, THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SIX (376) YOUTH LEARNED TEAM BUILDING AND SPORTSMANSHIP SKILLS THROUGH YOUTH SPORTS AND THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SEVEN (347) YOUTH LEARNED LIVE SAVINGS SKILLS THRU SWIM PROGRAMS. THIS PAST YEAR, THE Y FED ONE HUNDRED TWO THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE (102,625) HEALTHY MEALS AND SNACKS TO CHILDREN TO HELP END CHILDHOOD HUNGER. MOST OF OUR FEEDING SITES ARE LOCATED IN AREAS THAT HAVE AN ESTIMATED TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT FOOD INSECURITY RATE, WHILE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS THIRTEEN PERCENT. THE YMCA ALSO PROVIDES SUBSIDIES AND DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO MAKE PARTICIPATION POSSIBLE FOR ALL CHILDREN.

HEALTHY LIVINGEVIDENCE-BASED HEALTH INTERVENTION (EBHI) PROGRAMS WERE CREATED BY THE METROPOLITAN YMCA OF MISSISSIPPI, IN RESPONSE TO CHANGING HEALTH CARE TRENDS, IN ORDER TO DELIVER COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS THAT HELP OUR COMMUNITY BECOME HEALTHIER AND HAVE A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE. IN 2021 WE DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING (EBHI): BLOOD PRESSURE SELF-MONITORING, MATTER OF BALANCE, HEALTHY BABY AND ME, PARKINSON'S, AND OPIOID PREVENTION PROGRAMMING. PARKINSON'S PROGRAMMING HAD 25 MEMBERS. THE CLASSES WERE OFFERED BOTH ON LAND AND ON BIKES TO ACCOMMODATE THE DIFFERENT COMFORT LEVELS OF THE INDIVIDUALS. ANOTHER WAY THE Y HAS IMPACTED LOCAL COMMUNITY NEEDS IS BY IMPLEMENTING MATTER OF BALANCE CLASSES GEARED TOWARDS THE SENIOR CITIZEN POPULATION WE HAD 12 PARTICIPANTS. THROUGH A TWO-MONTH PERIOD, PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED CLASSES ON A WEEKLY BASIS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON TEACHING SENIORS HOW TO PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE SELF-MEASURES AND SETTING GOALS THAT WILL PREVENT FALLS. ENCOMPASSED WITH THIS PROGRAM WE ALSO OFFERED ENHANCEDFITNESS WITH 16 PARTICIPANTS WITH MORE TECHNICS TO PREVENT FALLING. 44 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN THE BLOOD PRESSURE SELF-MONITOR PROGRAM TO IMPROVE THEIR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH. 225 SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN 5 EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS IN OUR OPIOID PREVENTION PROGRAM. IN THESE SESSIONS, THEY LEARN SAFETY AROUND MEDICATION AS WELL AS STRENGTHEN THE IMMUNE SYSTEM. THESE PROGRAMS HAVE PROVIDED OUR MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY WITH PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT SHOWCASE WE ARE MORE THAN JUST A GYM. OUR PROGRAMS ARE ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE, AND OPEN TO ANYONE REGARDLESS OF DEMOGRAPHIC MAKEUP, PERSONAL BELIEFS, OR FINANCIAL ABILITY.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITYTHE Y HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND JOINING RESOURCES TO HELP BETTER THE JACKSON COMMUNITY AS A TEAM. THROUGH A VARIETY OF ORGANIZATION-RUN EVENTS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SHOWCASE ALL THE GREAT RESOURCES OUR COMMUNITY PROVIDES WHILE RAISING MONEY FOR OUR EFFORTS. NOT ONLY HAVE OUR EVENTS SHOWN TO BE GREAT WAYS TO CONNECT WITH OTHER JACKSON PARTNERS, BUT WE HAVE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO JOIN FORCES IN IMPACTING THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE. IN OUR EVENTS, WE HAD 3,237 PARTICIPANTS IN 2021 FROM FAMILY NIGHTS, WELCOMING WEEKS, HEALTHY KIDS DAY, BLOOD DRIVES, FLOWOOD FAMILY FESTIVAL, CINCO DE MAYO AMONG OTHERS. ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW WE ARE IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY OFFERING OUR FACILITIES AS A PRIMARY LOCATION FOR GIRL SCOUTS IN CLINTON. IN 2021 WE CONTINUE HOUSING THE VETERAN AFFAIRS. WITH THIS ORGANIZATION, WE ARE ALLOWING SPACE FOR VA MEMBERS TO USE OUR POOLS AND WORKOUT AREAS TO TRAIN AND RECOVER. WE ARE FINDING NEW AND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO PROVIDE OUR PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES TO OUR COMMUNITY. IN 2021, WE HAD 156,544 FACILITY VISITS.