Dow Bay Area Family YMCA

Child care and food program services - Dow Bay Area Family Ymca is committed to providing affordable, dependable, high quality child care services on a year round basis to the working families of the great lakes Bay region. Ymca child care services provide children with a safe and caring place to grow and support parents' efforts to nurture their children's healthy development. We served 278 children from infant to 5th grade in our licensed childcare programs in 2023 and 85 Young adults in afterschool programs at cramer junior high school and christa mcauliffe middle school. In january 2023, a great start readiness preschool (gsrp) classroom was added onsite, which served 16 students with support from bay-arenac isd. In addition, on december 26, 2023, a second Ymca childcare site opened in partnership with 1st presbyterian church in Bay city; the site will allow us to serve up to 39 children. In 2023, $90,229 in financial assistance was provided to childcare families. Also included in the childcare program service Area is our focus on addressing food insecurity in our community. Our free youth food program, supported by the usda/michigan department of education, served 29,218 meals and snacks to children ages 18 and under in 2023. We also provided 431 emergency food boxes for pick up or delivery for those in need in our community.

Aquatics - y aquatics programs are part of the y's overall goal of building a healthy spirit, mind and body. In addition to providing specific swimming and water safety skills, they promote good health through regular exercise. Learning to swim at the y is more than stroke development. Trained, certified and sensitive staff give personal attention to program participants at all age and skill levels. Y swim and aquatics programs help people build self-esteem, confidence and team spirit. Dow Bay Area Family Ymca served 796 individuals through swim lessons and trained 18 people as community lifeguards throughout the year.

Membership - y facility memberships are full-privilege, full access memberships packed with benefits to help achieve health, fitness and recreational goals. The member experience includes access to state-of-the-art equipment, free group exercise classes, 24/7 fitness access for adults, and nationwide membership reciprocity. Y memberships offer a variety of payment options including financial assistance to encourage everyone to get involved in healthy activities. Y programs emphasize nutrition, exercise, stress management, weight management and lifestyle management. Dow Bay Area Family Ymca provided $242,583 in financial assistance for Ymca memberships in 2023.

Youth sports - youth sports focus on the full and equal participation of all. Young people participating in sports build lifelong positive attitudes, habits of healthy exercise and good nutrition, and learn ways to have fun as adults. Both adult and youth sports programs value cooperation over competition, fair play over winning at any cost, good feeling and good health over a good score, and building self esteem over beating the opponent. The y knows that with this approach everyone wins undefeated in spirit, mind, and body. In 2023, youth sports leagues included youth basketball academy (696 participants), youth volleyball academy (165 participants), and youth flag football (229 participants). Financial assistance in the amount of $4,946 provided free or reduced sports program registrations for 11 participants in 2023. Health and fitness - Dow Bay Area Family Ymca supports chronic disease prevention through a life-long progression of evidence-based health and fitness initiatives like the diabetes prevention program in partnership with muskegon Ymca and enhance fitness, group exercise classes for all ages, and use of fitness equipment in and around our 96,400 sq. Ft. Facility and 24/7 Area. Youth and families - y youth and teen programs give kids good role models to help them develop self-esteem and good values including cooperation, respect for the body, good citizenship, and a strong work ethic. Teen activities are among the most rapidly growing y programs, reflecting the growing awareness that adolescents need structure and activities, especially in the after-school hours. The y is proud to be a Family organization, giving families a safe, reliable, and affordable place to go. Strengthening families and meeting the needs of children have always been central to the y mission of building healthy spirits, minds, and bodies for all.