Program areas at YMCA of Greater Boston
Healthy living - Ymca of Greater Boston members and program participants benefit from a diverse array of health and wellness programs and services which are offered at 13 branch locations throughout the city of Boston and surrounding suburban locations. Program offerings include fitness centers, instructional fitness programs, personal training, aquatics learn-to-swim programs, specialty health programs, family gym time, youth sports, sports leagues and the jr celtics academy league. (continued on schedule o)the youth camps provides a unique opportunity for children and teens to have a break from their daily routine and experience independence in a safe and controlled environment under the guidance of college-age mentors. The camp experiences provide an opportunity to form new meaningful relationships in a setting that encourages belonging while trying new activities and developing important life skills that promote physical activity and overall well-being.
Social responsibility - the Ymca supports low-income families with educational services, job skills training, and a families in transition program to address homelessness. The Ymca of Greater Boston offers an array of education services to low-income individuals and families including adult basic education, computer literacy services, and english as a second language for recent immigrants. The y provides comprehensive job skills training and helps with placement in permanent employment positions. In 2023, we continued to deliver groceries and meals and operated a food distribution warehouse to support the community. (continued on schedule o)the Ymca continued to deliver groceries and prepared ready to go meals to children, seniors and families in 2023 and operated a food pantry warehouse in east Boston that supported both Ymca locations and community partner locations in the Greater Boston area. A new partnership we are excited about is our role in the Boston community hub schools. The model intentionally looks at its assets and opportunities to take action to make their school community the best it can be. Families and the community are empowered and encouraged to be partners in what happens in the school and a Ymca community hub school staff member is on site to support the school community.
Childhood development - the Ymca of Greater Boston has a long and successful history of providing pre-school, after-school and summer development, educational, recreational and social activities for youth of all ages. In our early education program, children from all backgrounds are brought together to be nurtured, nourished, loved and celebrated. Diversity where strength and creativity and critical thinking flourish. A holistic, play-based curriculum allows our teachers to follow each child's interest, while building essential skills, strength and resilience. In addition, we operate two youth overnight camps and a family camp in new hampshire. (continued on schedule o)for school age before and afterschool programs in local public schools and at community sites, the Ymca of Greater Boston is the largest provider of state licensed childcare in Massachusetts. Programs are held during afterschool hours, school vacations, on certain holidays and teacher professional development days. Our staff lead activities that promote cooperation and character development. In our summer camp programs, we take a whole-child approach, and round out their summer experience with invigorating sports and swimming instruction that promotes physical well-being, exploration of the community which fosters social and emotional growth, while seamlessly weaving literacy, math, and science lessons into our curriculum. Kids can't help but develop life-long love of learning and friendship at our camps and benefit from reduced summer learning loss.