The ymca of greater flint is a charitable, community service organization that includes men, women, and children of all ages, abilities, races, and religions. We are dedicated to building strong kids, strong families, and strong communities by putting christian principles into practice through programs that promote healthy lifestyles, strong values, leadership development, and community interaction. All persons are welcome at our ymca, regardless of their ability to pay. Our ymca is founded and led by volunteers from our community; volunteers also serve as program leaders, instructors, and more.

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

Youth development our ymca is committed to nurturing the potential of every child and teen. We believe that all kids 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 ymca offers programs such as swimming lessons, outdoor education, character development, day and resident camps, and sports instruction. These are a sampling of the programs that we offer that provide a range of experiences that enrich cognitive, social, physical and emotional growth. Our resident and day camps offer adventure and learning activities that provide education, and promote spiritual awareness, healthy living, social growth and self-respect. During our programs, 4,000 campers gained a sense of belonging, an appreciation for nature and the environment, and grew in immeasurable ways. An additional 13,000 students participated in camp copneconic's outdoor education program and learned about the conservation and develop a greater respect for the environment and all who share it. healthy living the y is a leading voice on health and well-being. We bring families closer together, encourage good health, and foster connections through fitness, sports, fun, and shared interests. As a result, over 8,000 people in our community are receiving the support, guidance, and resources they need to achieve greater health in sprit, mind, and body. This is particularly important as our nation struggles with an obesity crisis, families struggle with work/life balance, and individuals search for personal fulfillment. Our programs are accessible, affordable, and open to all faiths, backgrounds, abilities, and income levels. In 2017, we provided $1,009,371 in financial assistance to people who otherwise would have faced economic barriers to participation. We have also partnered with our local farmer's market and hurley medical center to operate a health and wellness hub at the market. This hub provides demonstrations, health screens, safety tips, and exercise plans for all visitors to the market which last year saw 1. 1 million visits. The ymca is a known and trusted health resource for our community and we use this leadership position to disseminate important health and wellness information to our community. social responsibility our ymca believes in giving back and supporting our neighbors. We have been listening and responding to our community's most critical social needs for more than 100 years. Y programs, such as our 4th grade safety around water, financial assistance program, safe places afterschool program and the numerous special needs camps we offer, are just a few examples of how we deliver resources and support that empowers our neighbors to effect change, bridge gaps, and overcome obstacles. The y safety around water (ysaw) program is a collaboration with the flint community schools and the ruth mott foundation. During the 2016-2017 school year approximately 415 4th grade students participated in the 7 week y safety around water. Ysaw provides these 4th grade students with simple and straightforward ways to ensure their safety in and around the water. The goal of the ymca of greater flint/flint community schools partnership is to lessen the number of deaths due to drowning, currently the second leading cause of accidental death for youth in michigan and the nation. This rate of drowning increases if the youth is male, african-american, and impoverished. In a community which experiences a poverty rate of approximately 40. 9% with a large african-american urban population this is an important issue. Overwhelmingly, students from flint community schools who participated in this program in the 2016-2017 school year improved their swimming skills and became safer around water as a result. The ymca is dedicated to reaching children in ways that will keep them safe and improv