Ottumwa YMCA

Child care: the ymca provides high quality child care by providing comprehensive activities for preschool and school age children drawing on diverse members of the community. The organization provides both full and part time options to serve a wide range of family scheduling needs. Woven into the fabric of the ymca mission is a commitment to strengthening families. Ymca childcare programs relieve the burden of balancing work and family and make it possible for parents of children in our care to remain gainfully employed, knowing that their children are thriving in a safe, developmentally sound environment.

Ymca youth development programs give kids good role models to help them develop self-esteem and good values, including cooperation, respect, good citizenship, and a strong work ethic. Our after school program expose Young people to character development and helps them develop an understanding and appreciation of core values. More than 40 "at risk youth" are served each day with education and structured programs, along with comprehensive support services and mentor training. Financial assistance is available for fee-based programs, so a Young persons' economic circumstances are not a barrier to participation. The ymca day camp program provides a lasting experience of personal enrichment. Day camps offer adventure and learning activities that provide challenge and promote spiritual awareness, mental development, physical well being, social growth, and self-respect. Day camp helps youth become aware of their physical and mental capabilities, to recognize the value of cooperation, and to gain confidence. The ymca youth sport program provides youth the opportunity to be involved in ten different team oriented sports. Each sports goal is to instill teamwork, self-confidence, fair play, character development and core values. Thousands of youth learn these skills each year through volunteer coaches and staff.

Health and wellness: helping people of all ages and abilities develop health in spirit, mind and body is at the core of the ymca movement. Our programs are designed to help people create realistic goals for self-improvement and emphasize disease prevention through regular exercise, proper nutrition, stress management, and health education. Sports programs for youth, families and adults promote teamwork, interaction, and development of social and physical skills. Our "silver splash" is an aquatics program that keeps seniors active and flexible; our swim lesson aquatics program helps to develop physical skills in toddlers; our family swim program gives adults and children shared time in the pool to appreciate one another and promote intergenerational relationships. Our services are offered at affordable fees for the community at large, with reasonable accommodations for those with special needs, and with financial assistance available for those who cannot afford the full fee. In light of the rising obesity rates in this country, our ymca participates in the activate american initiative and engages in a variety of events and community activities designed to help the "at risk population" develop habits and relationships that lead to more active lifestyles.