YMCA of the East Bay

Youth Development - All kids deserve the opportunity to discover who they are and what they can achieve and our Y is committed to nurturing the potential of every child and teen. Our wide array of programs help young people cultivate the values, skills and relationships that lead to positive behaviors, improved health and educational achievement. Early Childhood Impact - There is a massive opportunity gap between those with means and those without. The YMCA strives to eliminate that gap by providing high quality early learning, family support, education and training opportunities for parents to better support the children's success emotionally, socially, and cognitively. The Y offers Headstart, Early Headstart and state funded childcare and preschool programs, connections with medical and dental services, family support, goal setting and counseling for families servicing trauma influenced children. Youth Development - The Y provides the opportunity to youth to improve academic success, social and emotional development and health through after school programs, summer and resident camps and core Y programs such as youth sports and swimming. These programs are designed to give all kids the opportunity to learn new skills, build confidence and socialize in a healthy environment.

Social Responsibility - The Y recognizes that as an agent for change, we have a larger responsibility to the community. The Y develops programs in such a way that ensures everyone can participate and supports other efforts to improve the overall health of a community such as supporting safe routes to school, bike-able and walkable community and healthy food policies. For example, our Berkeley branch provides affordable residence facilities for those with limited financial resources, who can also benefit from the support of our programs. Additionally, programs and events are held throughout the year to foster community and celebrate our growing and diverse member base.

Healthy Communities - The Y is focused on improving individual, family and community health by helping individuals incorporate exercise as a regular part of their lifestyle. The YMCA recognizes the societal barriers that make it challenging to achieve a healthy lifestyle and has designed programs to help people find their personal pathway to health in both individual and group settings.