Program areas at YMCA of Montclair NEW JERSEY
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT With 130 years of experience offering programs that serve infants through high school students, we have a highly successful track record in providing childcare to our shared community. Our diverse offerings of youth programming currently include: Bloomfield, Montclair, and Verona Before and After School Age Child Care (PreK - 8th Grade): Throughout 2023, 1,540 students were served throughout these three districts, or 1,300 daily. Early Learning Center (3 months to 5 years old): Launched in 2020, this program served 103 students during the 2022-23 school year, including two Montclair Public School Pre-K classrooms in 2023. Staycation School Break Holiday Care (5 to 12 years old): In the 2022-23 school year we served 222 students on 20 Staycation Days. Staycation has been offered for more than 25 years and is a staple childcare option for working parents. 5 Summer Camps (3 to 14 years old): In 2023 we served 1,659 individual campers, or 800 campers daily. We have provided day camps for over 50 years, including at our West Milford YMCA Outdoor Education Center's Camp at the Lake. Kids/Parents Night Out Evening Childcare (6 months to 12 years old): In 2023 we hosted 186 children in this program. We have provided this service for close to 15 years. Safety Around Water (6 to 12 years old): In 2023, the Y served 100 children with this water safety program, run before the start of summer to help prevent drowning. The Y has been offering swim lessons and water safety for 40 years. Youth Swim Lessons (6 months and older): In 2023, the Y taught 4,409 children swimming and water safety. The YMCA of Montclair has provided swim lessons for more than 100 years. Youth Enrichment Programming (18 months and older): The Y offers diverse enrichment classes for children and families such as STEM, dance, youth sports, arts, and more. In 2023, the Y served 896 children through our youth enrichment programs. Additionally, 254 children participated as members of our Dolphins swim team and 144 kids played on our Panthers travel basketball team. Teen Enrichment Programming (12 to 17 years old): The Y ensures every teen has the opportunity to reach their full potential by providing a safe space to explore and grow in an assortment of enrichment programs and activities. These include our 7th Grade Initiative, Counselors in Training program, after school Teen Center, and more. In 2023, we served 2,792 teen members.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Our YMCA is proud to support community needs in a broad variety of initiatives such as Mental Health First Aid training, 7th Grade Initiative, Leaders Club, Chronic Disease Programs, Safety Around Water classes, annual collection drives, community partnerships, volunteer and internship opportunities, and more. We are proud to collaborate with dozens of local organizations to serve our community. For example, in 2023 we hosted American Red Cross blood drives that saved 177 lives; we collected and assembled more than 500 personal hygiene kits for families experiencing housing insecurity to be distributed by Family Promise of Essex; we collected 380 holiday gifts to be distributed to local families in need by our community partner Toni's Kitchen. Our volunteer program engaged 143 volunteers to help support the Y's mission, logging more than 2,855 volunteer hours in 2023. We also hosted engaging, cause-driven programming throughout the year, free and open to the public. Examples include Healthy Kids Day, Fall Fest at Camp at the Lake, Welcoming Week, Women's History Month programs, Black History Month programs, a Veteran's Day Appreciation Breakfast, and more. We are proud to continue making a positive impact in our communities.
HEALTHY LIVING The YMCA of Montclair is a community leader in health and well-being. The Y brings families closer together, encourages healthy habits, and fosters connections through fitness, sports, fun, and shared interests. As a result, thousands of individuals receive the support, guidance, and resources they need to achieve better health and well-being through a wide array of our programs. In 2023, the YMCA of Montclair served more than 18,000 members and offered 3,296 group exercise classes with options accessible to all levels and abilities. Classes included Zumba, Pilates, Yoga, Spin, Senior Chair Exercise, and dozens more. 1,790 seniors aged 65 and over maintained healthy lifestyles and combatted social isolation as members of the Y in 2023, and individuals aged 90 and over were offered a complimentary membership. The Y also provided several Chronic Disease Prevention Programs to the community, including our Prevent T2 Diabetes program and Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring program (which are open to all members of the community and offered at no cost) as well as our Enhance Fitness program, Parkinson's Exercise Program, and more, which are free to all Y members. In 2023, 254 individuals participated in these programs. The Y's Aquatics programs provided swim lessons to 4,648 children and adults in 2023. Additionally, the Y provided lifeguard training, First Aid and CPR certifications, and other safety training for hundreds of individuals within our Y and throughout the community to help increase water safety in the region. Financial assistance is available to those in need for all fee-based programs.