The mission of the y is to put christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. The y's promise is to strengthen the foundations of communities. With a commitment to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living and fostering a sense of social responsibility, the y ensures that every individual has access to the essential assets needed to learn, grow and thrive. Our mission and promise is practiced every day through a wide variety of programs that serve children, families, adults and seniors of all ages, races, income levels and cultural backgrounds. In 2017, we provided over $1,400,000 in financial assistance to people who would have faced economic barriers to participate in membership and programs at the y. When you look around the y, you will see people of all ages, genders and races. The y's commitment to diversity reflects a belief that people from all backgrounds benefit from ongoing interaction with each other.

Community & Neighborhood Development , Economic Development , Human Services , Physical Fitness & Community Recreational Facilities , Sports , Young Mens or Womens Associations

Youth development:our y is committed to nurturing the potential of every child and teen. We believe that all 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 y programs focus on youth development, such as special needs programs for youth, teens and adults with disabilities, youth sports, after school programming, youth aquatics and preschool childcare programs. These programs offer a range of experiences that enrich cognitive, social, physical and emotional growth. We offer four preschool programs at our sites- one at each of our two branches, one at ncci holdings inc. (a corporate based program) and one at the volen center, a local senior center. Almost 540 children attended preschool in 2017, with those demonstrating need receiving financial assistance. Our goals are to provide affordable, quality childcare for preschool children ages 3 months to 5 years, to provide working families with a safe place for their children while they work and to prepare children to enter elementary school ready to learn. Camp programs were attended by 1,657 children in 2017, each child averaging around 5 weeks, with more than 15% of the children receiving financial assistance. Our day camps allow parents to maintain employment and provide for their families, while giving children an opportunity to experience developmental assets, character development, physical activity, and socialization with children of various abilities and ethnic backgrounds. Summer camp also offers children an opportunity to try new things and learn new skills through sports, aquatics and a variety of fun and educational field trips. The y sports program promotes fair play and builds self-esteem. Leagues and classes ensure that children learn the importance of teamwork as well as the rules of the game. While skills of the game are taught, the character values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility are most important, teaching children self-esteem and sportsmanship. We offer basketball, cheerleading, flag football, soccer, swim lessons, swim team, t-ball, martial arts and volleyball programs each year. Approximately 3,500 children and teens participated in our youth sports programs last year. healthy living:the y is a leading voice in improving the nation's health and well-being. We bring families closer together, encourage good health and foster connections through wellness, sports, enrichment and shared interests. This is particularly important as our nation struggles with an obesity crisis, families strive for work/life balance, and individuals search for personal fulfillment. As a membership-based organization, wellness programs are at the core of our programming. More than 150 fitness classes per week are offered and provide important health benefits such as cardiovascular conditioning, muscular strengthening, endurance improvement and body fat reductions. Spirit, mind and body classes such as yoga and pilates affect health and wellness by reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, improving circulation and increasing flexibility. In a partnership with bethesda memorial hospital, we offer an on-site physical rehabilitation program to our community. This allows an individual to receive land or aquatic physical therapy with licensed therapists. Upon completing the program, participants receive a customized fitness program to encourage faster healing and strength training. The ultimate goal of the ymca's health and wellness programs is to create healthier lifestyles among individuals and their families with a focus on reducing the threat of health issues by establishing goals for our member and helping them achieve those goals. The y continues to play a significant role in improving the health of our community. social responsibility:our y believes in giving back and suppor