Greater Somerset County YMCA

FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT-Nurturing the potential of every child and teen: Youth Development is a key area of impact for our organization. Greater Somerset County YMCA offers programs that help young people of all ages to develop the essential skills and strong characteristics. Children in our programs learn the importance of the Y's core values: caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. In 2023, we served over 9,900 children between 0-17 years of age, an increase of 15% over the previous year. We inspire a joyful, holistic approach to family development. Our YMCAs support families with programs such as quality Child Care, Early Childhood Education, After School Programs, Summer Camp, Academic Enrichment, Adventure Guides, Family Bonding Activities, Healthy Kids Day, Swim Lessons, Family Fitness, Youth Running Clubs, Youth Group Exercise Classes, Saturdays in Motion, Homework Help, Tutoring, Teen Programs and more. All of our youth programs are designed to promote core values, to deepen family connections, and to inspire children and teens to realize their full potential. 'We believe every child deserves a chance to learn and thrive throughout the year and to have a summer camp experience.'-Child Care and Summer Camp Parents need a safe place for their children to learn, especially parents who are working to make ends meet. Of the many ways in which children are engaged at the Y, Child Care is one of our largest program areas, including Infant Care and Preschool (ages 3 months to 5 years) and Before & After School Care (ages 5-11 years). Over 180 children are enrolled in our state licensed full-day child care and early education centers located in two of our branches: Hillsborough YMCA and Somerset Hills YMCA. Additionally, our school-aged programs last year had over 1,300 children enrolled; serving 14 school districts. Over $167,000 in financial assistance was provided to families in need of quality child care services in 2023. Princeton Young Achievers (PYA) is our unique after school program that helps children from low- to moderate-income neighborhoods improve their school performance and English language skills through homework assistance and educational support. In all, 60 children were enrolled. In addition to our before and after school programs, we offer vacation care options for children who are off from school, yet their parents need to work. In 2023, nearly 900 children participated in this offering. Enrollment in our School Age Child Care program in partnership with Franklin Township Board of Education grew by 47% to 478 children. In its third year, we added one more site to now serve all seven elementary schools in the community. Of all children enrolled, 1 in 6 receives financial assistance scholarships. The program offers homework help, enrichment activities, and social-emotional learning opportunities. Additionally, we integrated our Safety Around Water curriculum to teach all of the children how to be safe in and around water to minimize the risk of accidental drownings. Summer Camp is one of the Y's signature programs. During the summer months, over 2,200 children and teens participated in summer camp, with more than $241,000 in financial assistance given to 468 campers. Our camps offer many outdoor activities including adventure programs, archery, outdoor education, and gardening. We expanded our Camp SOAR program to support under-resourced families from Bound Brook, South Bound Brook, Manville and Franklin Twp. The camp was made possible with funding from Somerset County through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Hosted at one of the Somerset County Parks, the affordable, enriching camp option included transportation and meals. Camp SOAR provided a Summer of Outdoor Adventure and Recreation to children who would not have the opportunity to attend summer camp otherwise. In 2023, 260 campers were enrolled, doubling enrollment over the previous year, and the camp was extended from 5 to 8 weeks. Additionally, 100% of the children received scholarships to attend; 16,000 meals were served; 260 children received 3 hours of swim lessons weekly; 25 children trained and competed in a mini-triathlon; 11 teens earned their babysitting certification; and 45 new jobs were created. We launched a two-week program called Camp Dragonfly; designed for children ages 5 to 13, dealing with grief, trauma, or loss to provide them with a safe, welcoming and caring environment to help them heal and grow. Our skilled staff, trained in trauma informed care, guided the children through each camp day full of fun activities and new friendships. To further alleviate stress on families, the camp was offered at no cost to all 18 participants. 'We believe in the potential of teens.'-Youth and Teen Development Because life experiences influence individual development, we provide ample opportunities for young adults to build self-confidence and bright futures. A growing number of pre-teens and teens benefit from Y programs such as Service Learning Projects, Teen Social Activities, Academic Support, Mentoring, and more. Our Accept, Compete, Excel (ACE) program, offered by Princeton YMCA, is designed to reduce chronic absenteeism among boys of color by building connections and supports for students in grades 8-12 who are most at risk of falling behind. Students benefit from positive relationships with volunteer mentors inspiring social-emotional learning with the goal of improving attendance, academic performance, life trajectories, and opportunities for brighter futures. In 2023, enrollment grew by 86% over the previous year to 41 students. Another program designed to inspire bright futures among underserved teens, called Y Achievers, was launched in 2023 in our Plainfield and Somerville branches. Y Achievers is a career and college readiness program offered at no cost to empower high school students to pursue their personal, academic, and professional goals. Program components include weekly meetings, college/career planning, internship guidance, and college tours. Students benefit from positive role models that demonstrate the importance of goal setting, hard work, resilience, and ethical decision-making. The inaugural program included 27 participants. We encourage teens to engage in leadership-building opportunities to build their potential. In our summer internship program, high school students experienced project-based work and gained professional skills. Our 5 high school interns benefitted from a well-rounded experience. Also, in Summer Camp, over 140 teens participated in our Counselor in Training program to learn valuable skills working with children. In 2023, we expanded our Student Advocate program that engages high school students with adult volunteer board members. The Student Advocates attend board meetings and lead projects that support the Y's mission. The program helps build leadership skills and provides a platform for young voices to be heard and considered. In all, 16 students volunteered their time and skills in this program. We are one of the largest employers of teens in our service area. For many teens, the Y is their first employment opportunity; so, we strive to ensure it is a foundational experience with a balance of responsibility and values. Of the Y's full- and part-time staff, 339 employees are between the ages of 15 and 19; representing 35% of our workforce. 'We believe that a connected family is a health family.'-Family Strengthening Parent-child programs and family activities all contribute toward strengthening the bonds between parents and their children. Our volunteer-led Saturdays in Motion Program, in its 31st year, is the longest running, non-public recreational program for children with autism in the country. Autism Spectrum Disorder is more prevalent in New Jersey than nationally. Saturdays in Motion is designed to allow teen volunteers to work and play, one-on-one, with children who are on the autism spectrum. Through this transformative program, participants have fun playing and making friends, while teen volunteers gain leadership skills, and parents enjoy caregiving respite. In 2023, the program connected the lives of over 200 children with teen volunteers. As part of our commitment to protecting the children in our community, in April 2023, we participated in the Five Days of Action-a week-long campaign to increase awareness of child sexual abuse and empower and equip our communities to prevent it. Through marketing and educational initiatives, we shared information to our stakeholders on how to Know, See, and Respond to ensure our communities work collectively to keep all children safe. Additionally, throughout the year, we offered enriching and educational events intended to strengthen families including cultural engagement events that celebrate the diverse fabric of our communities, parenting seminars on dangers of vaping and courageous conversations, family nights with fun and games, and more.

FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY - Giving back and providing support to our neighbors: As a cause-driven, volunteer-led organization, the Y consistently promotes the importance of social responsibility in all that we do and at all levels of the organization. We believe that when we all work together with shared passion and common purpose, we can enhance our collective quality of life, lift up vulnerable neighbors and deepen community impact. As an organization committed to social responsibility, we offer financial assistance to financially insecure individuals and families, and we offer free or low-cost, mission-based programs that meet urgent and emerging community needs. The contributions of volunteers, in large part, enable us to deliver on our cause of strengthening the community. Volunteers are extremely valuable to Greater Somerset County YMCA and we continually seek to fortify our volunteer base, which remains robust. Additionally, we engage with a broad array of community stakeholders to maximize the well-being of county residents through collaborative relationships. We partner with many nonprofit and government organizations in a spirit of cooperation to optimize resources that achieve greater outcomes for the benefit of the community. In 2023, we celebrated Greater Somerset County YMCA's Sesquicentennial Anniversary. Founded in 1873, Greater Somerset County YMCA has been creating positive change that strengthens our community - always evolving, always innovating, and always striving for a better tomorrow - for 150 years. Each day, with a steadfast commitment to equity, we work intentionally and purposefully to ensure that everyone has the resources, relationships, and opportunities that lead to a healthy, connected life. Greater Somerset County YMCA is committed to addressing important social issues that affect our children, families, health, and neighbors. The Y is a vital, trusted, and respected community asset. With the help of many, we respond to critical needs with emphasis on marginalized, under-resourced, and under-served populations. 'We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive.' - Programs for Adult Development and Individuals with Disabilities Our YMCAs have programs for adults of all ages and abilities including wellness opportunities, financial literacy, continuing education, volunteerism, and job-transition forums. We support adults with free and low-cost programs that fill gaps in community services. To keep seniors healthy and ensure affordability, especially for those on fixed incomes, we offer reduced membership rates and low-cost -in' programs. In 2023, over 2,400 individuals participated in programs for older adults including water exercise, indoor cycling, strength training and pickle ball, to name a few. Participation was double that of the previous year. Seniors also benefit from social activities to help them feel connected to their community and engage their minds as they have fun. Social activities for seniors at the Y include book clubs, knitting, games, and presentations on interesting topics such health, nutrition and more. The Y also collaborates with other community organizations to further benefit seniors by providing additional wellness options that encourage healthy and active living. Our programs for individuals with special needs demonstrate the Y's commitment to ensuring everyone in the community has a chance to learn, grow and thrive. Toward that goal, our YMCAs employ several staff members with disabilities who flourish in the Y's nurturing, inclusive environment. Through our special needs adult program, 11 individuals had opportunities to participate in activities that promote physical activity and social connections. Additionally, 25 adults with special needs had the opportunity to exercise their competitive athleticism in our Special Olympics program. Our YMCAs support and enhance the lives of neighbors with special needs by working with other nonprofits, as well as public and private institutions such as Bethel Ridge, Our House, Inc., Hope Autism, Montgomery Academy, and area School Districts. 'We believe that lasting personal and social change can only come about when we work together' - Community Support & Volunteerism At the Y, we believe that when we all work together, we move individuals, families and communities forward. By inspiring a spirit of service and bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives and generations, we ensure that we all have access to the opportunities, relationships and resources necessary to learn, grown and thrive. In 2023, food insecurity remained an issue in our communities. Through new and established partnerships, we collaborated with local organizations to ensure hungry neighbors had food on their tables. Throughout the year, we distributed over 160,000 meals. Additionally, our "Little Free Pantries" at Somerville YMCA and at Bridgewater YMCA were stocked with donated food and toiletries and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To ensure these local families had access to nutritious produce, we also maintained community gardens at five locations to supplement our food distribution program. Another continuously pressing need has been the critical shortage of blood supplies at area hospitals and medical facilities. In partnership with the Red Cross, we held 14 blood drives and collected 315 pints of blood, which equates to 945 lives saved. The Y is a community convener. We often collaborate with like-minded organizations to provide enhanced benefits to the community. In 2023, we developed over 50 new and expanded partnerships with many nonprofit and government organizations including Somerset County Commissioners, Atlantic Health, Rutgers University, NJ Department of Health, VA, and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, among others. We also provided free use of our facility to a wide variety of community-based organizations such as schools, police and fire departments, houses of worship, business and service organizations, youth sport organizations and other nonprofits. One example is our partnership with Montgomery Academy, which is a school for children, ages 5 - 21, who experience social, emotional and educational challenges. Since they do not have space at their school for physical education, the Y offers weekly use of our gymnasium and pools to the teachers and students so they can include physical education as part of their curriculum. In 2023, the Y was fortunate to receive the support of over 1,000 volunteers who gave their time and talent to our YMCAs for an estimated total of 3,275 hours. At the current value of $31.80 for each volunteer hour of service they provide, the worth of their contributions equates to $104,145. The volunteers helped in a variety of ways; from policy to projects, our volunteers are the heart of the Y. To ensure the Y remains a safe space where all are welcome, we strengthened our commitment to and work toward Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. We expanded our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion task force of Y staff, Board members and volunteers who worked together to establish a chart of work. We promoted opportunities for Y staff and volunteers to continue building diversity, equity & inclusion competencies through trainings and conferences that encourage honest dialogue. We also engaged in cultural appreciation in communications to foster greater understanding and inclusion with the community at large. Additionally, we worked collectively on 23 DEI initiatives and held 27 cultural engagement events.

FOR HEALTHY LIVING - Improving the health and well-being of our communities: From the beginning, our YMCAs have provided health and fitness programs as an integral part of our mission. The list of programs and services is quite extensive and includes a robust variety of fitness opportunities such as group exercise classes, personal training, swimming and yoga, as well as stress, weight and nutrition management. Every wellness offering is designed with the overarching goal of promoting a healthy balance of spirit, mind, and body that improves overall well-being. Overall, our wellness programs offer members an opportunity to enjoy and participate in a community that is based on the development of healthy behaviors and relationships. From nutrition to adult sport leagues to programs designed to help individuals with chronic diseases, we work to remove barriers so that all individuals have the opportunity to pursue healthy activities and lifestyles, which contribute to a healthier community. 'We believe everyone should learn to swim and to be safe around water.' - Aquatics Swimming is a life skill that makes communities safer by preventing accidental drownings. We believe everyone should learn to swim. In 2023, over 5,000 children and nearly 130 adults were enrolled in swim instruction classes. Swim classes for children grew by 67% over the previous year. The Y not only teaches people of all ages how to swim, but also offers classes to enhance enjoyment of the water such as safety skills, recreational swimming and water exercise. We also integrate swim skills into our summer camps. In our Go for Green program, we evaluate our campers swim skills to designate a red, yellow or green wristband that indicates their swim level. Through lessons, campers learn to progress toward the green band, which indicates their ability to swim in the deep end of the pool. Children are encouraged to progress to the next level of swimming. May is water safety month. In May 2023, we offered our one-week Safety Around Water program offered at no cost. The program provided families and individuals of all ages with knowledge and skills to help build their confidence and safety in and around the water. Our swim team athletes volunteered to teach the program. Understanding that water safety is a critical life skill, we expanded our Safety Around Water program beyond the month of May. The curriculum has been launched in our Franklin Township After School Program, our Camp programs in Franklin Township and Plainfield, as well as integrated as a pilot program into the Physical Education curriculum for send graders in one of the Franklin Township schools. Throughout 2023, there were over 630 participants in Safety Around Water. Our YMCAs also offer aquatics classes and programs for individuals with special needs, including Special Olympics and Saturdays in Motion, a recreational program for children with autism. These mission-driven programs demonstrate the Y's commitment to nurturing and safeguarding all of the children and young adults in our community. 'We believe in motivating wellness to help everyone lead a healthier life.' - Health and Fitness Our YMCAs offer members an opportunity to enjoy and participate in a community that is based on the development of healthy behaviors and relationships. In 2023, nearly 13,500 adults were involved at the Y, pursuing healthy activities and lifestyles, which contribute to improved health and a lower incidence of chronic disease in our community. Greater Somerset County YMCA has joined a national mobilization effort to combat rising levels of obesity, especially among our youth. Because we believe in establishing health habits at a young age, our child care and early education programs include healthy snacks and physical activity each day. The Y's wellness program geared towards young people includes Youth Wellness Orientations, Sports and Yoga. Additionally, we offer group exercise classes after school that are specifically designed for children ages 7 - 12 to make fitness fun and encourage healthy lifestyles. We remain committed to offering noteworthy wellness programs focused on chronic disease. In 2023, there were over 420 adults who sought to take control of their health in our programs; a 75% increase over the previous year. EnhanceFitness is an evidence-based program for arthritis patients that is designed to help participants maintain their flexibility, mobility and balance. LIVESTRONG at the YMCA supports cancer patients and survivors by helping them to regain their health. This 12-week recovery program is offered free to all members of the community thanks to funds raised through the Y's Annual Campaign. The program provides cancer survivors with a place to go to build strength while gaining camaraderie and hope. We also offer Total Parkinson's, a fitness program designed to empower those living with Parkinson's disease by helping delay the progression of symptoms and successfully manage the disease and improve their quality of life. Additionally, we partner with the CDC on the Diabetes Prevention Program, which helps those at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles by eating healthier, increasing physical activity and losing a modest amount of weight in order to reduce their chances of developing the disease. With a focus on preventative health and chronic disease management, our Somerset Hills YMCA continued the Memory Cafe to support and connect caregivers and their care partners living with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. The program meets once monthly for a light meal, to socialize, and to enjoy mind-stimulating activities such as crafts, games, and music. In 2023, the number of participants grew to over 160. To combat social isolation among seniors, our staff conducted social well-being checks with over 700 senior members. They shared fellowship, asked about their needs, and checked on their well-being, all to help the seniors feel connected. With a focus on health and wellness, we offer programs that encourage adults to enjoy fitness, mindfulness, and athletic competition. Through Group Exercise, Personal Training, Masters Swim, and other exercise programs, we guide, encourage and motivate adults to reach their wellness goals while improving their performance, health, and overall well-being. In 2023, over 89,400 adults actively participated in our fitness programs. 'We believe in the value of play to nurture the potential of children.' - Sports and Recreation From classes to recreational leagues, clubs to competitive teams, our YMCAs offer a wide variety of sports and recreation activities. Programs, focused on promoting strength and athleticism, are also designed to develop a child's mind by instilling positive values like teamwork, honesty and fair play. We offer programs for all ages, interests and abilities, which aim to teach skills that are the foundation for future success. In 2023, our sports programs saw robust participation. Over 520 swimmers gained the benefits of exercise and sportsmanship in our swim team program. As part of our sports initiative, our staff contributes services to some local schools as a complement to the physical education programs. Additionally, we provide active programming for local schools' field days, and intramural sport programming for youth who do not participate in school athletics. 'We believe values and skills learned early are vital building blocks for quality of life.' - Arts and Humanities (including Gymnastics) The arts teach children to make good judgments about qualitative relationships. Unlike many other curricula where correct answers and rules prevail, the focus in the arts is on interpretation rather than rules. Our YMCAs offer programs for creative expression for all ages and abilities, such as reading and discussion groups, literary, performing, and visual arts, plus music and crafts. In 2023, our gymnastics program enrollment was robust with over 600 participants. Through our gymnastics team, boys and girls alike learn critical life skills such as setting goals and the value of hard work while they have the opportunity to express themselves creatively through their performances. Our dance classes and dance team continue to be strong with over 220 dancers enrolled.