Hockomock Area Ymca

Ymca child care - the Hockomock Area Ymca is the largest provider of licensed, quality child care, including before and after school care - in our 15-community service Area. The focus of all Hockomock Area Ymca early learning center programs is to support values-driven growth and development in youth and their families. Child care offerings are designed to help Young people develop positive values, self-esteem, leadership as well as enhancing school readiness. Our early learning centers provide an important contribution to the local community by offering affordable and dependable child care for working parents. While parents remain gainfully employed, they have the confidence that their children are thriving in a safe, supportive and educational environment. For parents who cannot afford the full fee, in keeping with the Ymca's charitable mission, our Ymca welcomes all individuals regardless of their ability to pay.in 2023, an average 725 children per day took part in the various Hockomock Area Ymca licensed child care programs. These programs included child care, nursery school and before and after school programs, and were offered at 13 different locations, including on site locations at our north attleboro, franklin, mansfield and foxboro facilities and in school-based locations in north attleboro, wrentham, bellingham and foxboro charter school. Confidential scholarship assistance valued at $585,084 was provided to participating children and their families enrolled in licensed child care programs in 2023.

Ymca health and wellness - Ymca health and wellness programs are an important part of our focus on healthy living and are available to all ages. Our Ymca's enhancement offerings include group exercise programs that stress the value of prevention through good exercise habits and health, including nutrition, stress management and health education. Many of these programs are offered at no cost to Ymca members while others are made available at a fee that is affordable to the community, with financial assistance available for those who cannot afford the full fee. Since 2007, our Ymca has convened community leaders and key local and regional partners in the 15 communities we serve, implementing a collective community response to the epidemic of childhood obesity. Our Hockomock healthy futures initiative focuses on increasing physical activity and improving nutrition in children ages 6 10 and their families through strategies focused on intervention, prevention, and sustainable change. Our Ymca has also developed and implemented effective and innovative chronic disease programming through partnerships and collaborations with local hospitals. These programs focused on chronic disease prevention and post-diagnostic rehabilitation, including diabetes prevention (21 participants), ms wellness (12 participants) and enhance fitness (59 participants). A pedaling for parkinsons program was held in 2023 that had 44 participants. Since 2010, our Ymca has offered livestrong at the Ymca, an innovative program designed for cancer survivors and their families. During 2023, 152 cancer survivors and their families took part in this program which is offered at no charge. In 2015, our Ymca created a new living stronger program, designed for alumni of the livestrong program. During 2023, 137 participants took part in this program.our Ymca created an innovative weight loss program called weigh-to-change in 2016. In 2023, 41 participants took part in this weight loss program focused on nutrition, exercise and peer support. When our branches were closed in march 2020 due to the pandemic, we immediately pivoted to meet a new and emerging need in the 15 communities we serve access to food and those efforts have become a permanent part of our Ymca's critical mission work. In 2023, we provided 44,790 grab and go meals and distributed 32,354 family food bags, valued at $50 each, to those in need. Additionally, we operated 3 summer meal sites (2 in milford and 1 in north attleboro), organized 31 neighborhood food drives and provided more than 305 thanksgiving meals. Due to the impact this enhanced program has had on the community, we have also formed the north attleboro food collaborative with two other local nonprofits who work to provide food for those challenged with food insecurity in north attleboro.

Ymca aquatics - the Hockomock Area Ymca aquatics programs are a foundation of the Ymca's overall focus on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. We provide specific swimming and water safety skills, aquatic programs, in addition to promoting good health through regular exercise along with teamwork, self-confidence and personal goal setting for all ages. These programs are offered at affordable fees, with financial assistance available for those who cannot afford the full fees. Aquatic programs were held at the north attleboro, franklin and foxboro branches. During 2023, 6,243 participants took part in Hockomock Area Ymca aquatics programs including youth lessons and aquacise classes, which increase joint flexibility and help relieve arthritic pain, a welcome alternative for many older adults. Teenage participants learned valuable lifeguarding skills in Ymca lifeguard classes. Cpr classes are offered by our y to potential lifeguards, staff, members and local community members. In addition, 236 youth and teens participated in the Ymca's swim team program. The Ymca's goal of being socially responsible is evident through important collaborations with local communities including allowing the high school swim teams in foxboro, franklin and north attleboro to utilize our Ymca pools for meets and practices at no charge. In addition, the Ymca provided lifeguarding services at falls pond in north attleboro, lake pearl in wrentham and at silver lake in bellingham. In 2023, the grant-funded spier family splash program provided free swim lessons for kindergarten and first grade students enrolled in foxboro public schools with an emphasis on safety in and around the water. During the summer the splash program is offered to all children in foxboro camp and students took part in the splash water safety and progression program. At total of 703 children participated in the spier family splash program in 2023.

Ymca youth sports youth sports programs such as t ball, soccer, basketball, flag football, karate, dance and gymnastics focus on participation and sportsmanship with children and their families engaged. Ymca youth sports programs emphasize character development, skill development, health and fitness, safety, self-esteem and respect for others. During 2023, a total of 3,806 participants took part in various Hockomock Area Ymca youth sports programs, many of which utilize volunteer coaches

Ymca camping - Hockomock Area Ymca summer camping programs provide recreation, enrichment and "the best summer ever" by integrating physical well-being, social growth and a respect for the environment based on the Ymca's traditional core values. Through a variety of activities and the use of natural surroundings, Ymca summer camp helps participants reach their fullest potential in developing social and coping skills important in developing self-confidence and self-esteem, thereby reducing their risk of participating in risky behaviors. Ymca summer camp programs are offered at our north attleboro, franklin, foxboro and mansfield facilities and at silver lake in bellingham for youth ages 3 to 16. Besides offering traditional summer camp, the Ymca offers a number of specialty camps for those interested in areas such as sports, arts, theatre and adventure camps for teens. In addition, the Ymca provides new horizon camp, a special inclusion camp opportunity for children with special needs which served 234 youth in 2023. Finally, a new camp, camp calica, named in honor of tony calcia who was integral in the development of the integration initiative, was new in 2021, and is funded in part from an endowment fund set up in 2020. This weekend camp had 104 participants in 2023.hockomock Area Ymca camp programs often serve as childcare for parents in the summer. Ymca summer camps provide safe, educational and nurturing environments with qualified staff. Camp programs are offered on a sliding scale to parents unable to afford the full fee. In 2023, there were a total of 12,090 camper weeks in various Hockomock Area Ymca summer camping programs. Scholarships valued at $351,406 were provided to children in Ymca camping programs. Ymca summer camp is approved as a qualified provider by the department of children and families and local boards of health.

Ymca teen leadership our Ymca remains committed to engaging teens and Young adults through leadership development, mentoring, and experiential education. Our leadership programs shape tomorrow's leaders by offering teens safe and dynamic environments where they learn, grow, play, and interact with caring adults and peers. During 2023, 150 teens took part in the various teen programs, including specialty programs such as Ymca leaders and junior leaders club.for 23 years, the Ymca has operated the north attleboro teen center located in downtown north attleboro. This y teen center provides teens the opportunity to participate in a variety of programs, including wednesday night family mealtime, project safety zone, teen nights, adventure camping and community service projects. Operated as "the zone", the teen center provides important services to kids in north attleboro. In 2023, the zone serviced 2,000 teens.the Ymca also operates the marilyn rodman teen center in the foxboro branch with a focus on leadership development, education and community service.

Ymca family programs these programs, which include enrichment programming, help people grow as responsible members of families and the community. These programs provide children and their parents with activities that foster understanding and companionship. Activities are planned to bring groups of families together to support each other and their children. Parents have the opportunity to learn from each other and from their children in an enjoyable way. A variety of parent-child programs are offered. Free family nights are offered bi-monthly and parenting seminars were offered during 2023. In 2023, 660 participants took part in structured Ymca family programs.the Hockomock Area Ymca is proud of the continued growth of our innovative integration initiative. This program is designed to provide opportunities for children with special needs to participate in Ymca programs and activities with their typically developing peers. The integration initiative began in 2004 and has been expanded into all y program areas. The program is currently offered in our north attleboro, franklin and foxboro branches. In 2023, 791 participants were enrolled in the program and since its inception 2,395 children and their families have participated in the Ymca's integration initiative, with impact measurements showing that participating children experience an increase in independence and physical activity while improving their socialization skills and self-esteem. Our new horizon summer camp program served 312 children with disabilities last summer. In october, we celebrated our 14th annual legends golf classic and in november, we celebrated our 18th annual legends ball, both of which raised funds to support the integration initiative.our Ymca seeks to foster a culture of lifelong learning and appreciation for the arts where individuals and families spark creative thinking, develop artistic skills and awaken curiosity. Through our mansfield arts & education center, our Ymca is able to deliver programming, through the arts, that strive to improve academic performance, increase children's developmental assets and help teens learn key workforce skills. In 2023, despite the pandemic, in our 17h year, there were 16 theater performances by 312 children in the arts program. In the past 17 years, there have been 164 theater performances.in 2023 our annual backpack drive continued and served all 15 communities in our service Area. There were 2,500 backpacks filled with school supplies were distributed to students in need. As part of our Ymca's commitment to child protection, we partnered with darkness to light to continue a research-based child sexual abuse educational prevention program offered in 7 Area communities in 2023. To date, we have trained 6,546 adults as "stewards of children", educating and creating awareness of the prevalence, consequences and circumstances of child sexual abuse and how to react responsibly. Our Ymca requires all full time and exempt staff to take the facilitated version of stewards of children and requires all part time staff to take the online version.the Ymca continued its commitment to child protection requiring all exempt, full-time and part time staff and camp staff to participate in child protection trainings.the Ymca also provided leadership to the annual "5 days of action" child abuse prevention initiative which included psa with community leaders and the tony calcia child protection award was created.the Hockomock Area Ymca through community partnerships and collaborations, is working to meet the changing needs of the 15 communities we serve through a focus on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, working together with stakeholders throughout our service Area to improve the quality of life for thousands of children and their families.