Bangor Y

Every day, the Bangor ymca gives our community the support it needs to learn, grow, and thrive. From swim lessons for babies to senior aquatics, from summer camp, to our before and after school programs, from disease prevention to healthy living, everything we do helps strengthen our community and the people we serve. Our health and wellness programs reaches such a diverse group of people from 2 years old to 102, from the healthy to those striving to attain good health, from the beginner to the advanced. We are most proud of our 34 year old cardiac rehab program. We are at the top of the mountain of Y's our size when it comes to the number of land and aqua fitness classes we provide, with the total per week being nearly 100. We have special programs for women, such as our women on weights; and our thrive program, which works with those women inflicted with cancer. We have enhanced fitness for those suffering from arthritis, many specially designed senior classes, and programs to benefit the health and activity of our Young children and teens. We work with other partners in the community such as emmc and saint joseph hospital to support and help diminish obesity issues in our state. We are also kicking off our livestrong program, which will expand our support to people with cancer. We have also added a strong pilates program to our Y, as well as healing touch. In the past year, our membership has increased by 13%, when the average for Y's across the country is only 3%. Our retention has more than doubled from 30% in 2014 to 62% in 2015. We have provided nearly 120,000 in financial assistance to those who needed it most in order to take advantage of our programming. Most of all, we have changed lives. As one member says, "i would not be alive today without this Y. Not only have they brought me to a better health and way of living, but they have become my family. I need this Y as much as i need the air i breathe."

We are extremely proud this year of our social responsibility to a very important and much loved community in our region.that being our seniors. The Bangor ymca created a program called second wind, a health and wellness program for active adults. We focus on providing older adults with the opportunity to participate in physical and social activities in a fun, safe, and friendly environment. Our goal is to improve mobility, balance, and flexibility, increase strength, decrease stress, enhance social relationships, improve overall wellness, and volunteer to work with our little ones in early childhood education and y-works, and much more. With the temporary closing our local senior center in Bangor, we provided their members of the center free membership to our Y while their sr. center re- opened. We created special classes and programs for this group, even though we already had our second wind program going strong. When their old senior center could not reopen, we welcomed this group into our Y family permanently, expanding our services to them, and providing them with an entire floor of our beautiful isaac farrar mansion to hold their senior programs such as arts and crafts, card playing, music lessons, and much more. We cherish our seniors and are continuing to expand all that we can offer them through our own programming, as well as through collaborations with other organizations in the community. It is a win-win, and one in which we are proud to lead. We received a 37,500 grant to help us with our wonderful second wind program.

Our programs focusing on youth teach the core values of our Y, those being caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. We partner with many other organizations to ensure our youth are receiving the highest quality of programming, and to ensure all programs are accessible to all children no matter their ability to pay in full. Nearly 85,000 in financial aid and scholarships have been provided to our youth through such programs as our early childhood education program, y-works before and after school, youth sports, youth swim team, swim lessons, sleep away camp, adventure camps, day camp, and our interact program for teens. We serve nearly 5,500 children in our youth programs, and that number is growing every day. We are the safe harbor for many children. We are the place where they learn their passion; where their confidence is raised and their self-esteem soars. We stress communications, conflict resolution skills, and always kindness and love. No matter what the program is that our children participate in at our Y, we are confident they become better people and well positioned for all life will bring their way. We know that these precious people are our future leaders, and we are honored to play a role in helping them achieve their dreams. Whether 2 years old or 22 years old, our mission is always the same..help them to find the best within them, and to nurture, teach, encourage, mentor, and guide them to be the best of themselves and to always care about others.