Ywca York

Childcare and youth development programs:our learning centers provide nurturing and educational environments for hundreds of children annually. We serve infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. Our classrooms are where children develop early literacy and math skills and learn to respect The earth and each other. Our commitment to end racism and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all people is reflected throughout our curriculum, special events, and classrooms. We are committed to reducing The stress of working parents who rely on us for affordable and quality childcare programs. We have a grant for 16 children to be in mixed-age classrooms for children six months to three years old or until they can enter The pre-k counts program. The pre-k counts program is an established Pennsylvania department of education program designed to provide high-quality pre-kindergarten opportunities for families at no cost. Our pre-k counts programs are held at The following locations: Ywca York, lincoln charter school, York suburban school district, eastern York school district, and northeastern school district. Since pre-k counts is a state-funded program for three to five-year-old's, meeting family income guidelines, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm during school. We offer wraparound care, which allows The children to be at The pre-k counts location starting at 6:30 am and continuing to 5:30 pm. Our school-aged childcare program provides students with a safe, nourishing environment where kids can relax and socialize before school, decompress, and play after school. During The program hours, children are fed breakfast (am) and a snack (pm), can play in The gymnasium and can swim at our indoor pool. Our dedicated staff offers unique hands-on learning activities for students throughout The school year to reinforce that learning can be fun and applicable to their growing needs. During The summer, we offer full-day summer camp at our property, camp cann-edi-on, located off The strinestown 83 exit. Camp cann-edi-on represents one of The region's few affordable summer camp opportunities, offering scholarship assistance for lower-income families and government-funded support. Our camp allows our youth to experience and connect with The outdoors. Camp explorers, for The four to six-year-olds, can attend camp cann-edi-on weekly. Youth programs: our youth programs (quantum opportunities program and neighborhood youth ambassadors) focus on Young people's strengths and challenge them to expect and create great things in their lives. As such, youth can explore new worlds, discover their full potential, and develop toward healthy adulthood. Neighborhood youth ambassadors provides high school students with an adult mentor to visit neighborhoods in York city and work with The youth group and The community to clean up trash, weeds, and other items to build a neighborhood everyone would be proud to live in. We currently have one adult mentor with a group of one to four youths. The youths are paid for their work in The local neighborhood, which gives them pride in doing The work and builds a sense of community. The quantum opportunities program (qop) is a four-cornerstone approach that provides a comprehensive success plan for The participating youth, grades 9 through 12. Students receive personal development training, financial literacy, academic support, career and goal development, understanding of racial and social justice, and other tools to help them be well-rounded individuals. Qop students are encouraged to participate in up to 250 hours in each area, including community service, developmental and cultural opportunities, and volunteerism each year in qop. They are consistently provided 24/7 supportive adult mentoring. Successful qop participants can each earn incentives up to 6,000 dollars in an escrow account for their use for anything associated with preparation for higher education, including application fees, dorm expenses, textbooks, tuition and/or a computer. By providing these incentives, Ywca York assists youth from socioeconomically disadvantaged households with more equitable opportunities. Fiscal year 2022-2023 accomplishments: *215 children in state funded pre-k counts between The ages of 3 - 5*200 children in The school age before and after care programs *165 youth attended summer camp at comp cann-edi-on *80 children attended creative explorers summer camp full of swimming and various steam activities *40 children enrolled in The early learning that are for children 6 weeks of age to 3 years old

Health & fitness: our yoga and aquatics departments aim to improve The quality of life for people of all ages through physical fitness and health education. Programs aim to prevent adult health problems and develop healthy habits in youth. Our programs strengthen bodies and build self-esteem and confidence. The Ywca York offers many aqua-exercise programs and learn-to-swim classes. Our group yoga classes focus on your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Ywca York has introduced mindfulness across our organization. Every staff and committee meeting begins with a mindful moment. Our pre-k counts kiddos are learning breathing techniques and yoga. Clients who are domestic violence survivors are exploring how their brains function under stress and how to control their fight-flight-freeze impulses. Our Young people learn The value of teamwork and The importance of safety while developing skills that will last a lifetime. The York synchro team has competed at The local, regional, and national levels. The team has placed swimmers in The top eight in The regional age group championships and The junior olympics. Many of our swimmers have competed at The collegiate level and have ranked nationally. The Ywca York also offers lifeguard classes and refresher classes for current lifeguards throughout The year. Training includes certification in first aid and cpr for The professional rescuer. Fiscal year 2022-2023 accomplishments: * 964 people participated in swim lessons * 93 aquatics members* 252 swim lessons provided * The York synchro team had 23 members this past year ranging in age from 2nd to 12th grade. This is The only synchronized swim team in York county. One of our synchro participants qualified for junior nationals and swam in oro valley, Arizona* continue to offer a variety of aquatic classes including different levels of aqua exercise and programs for silver sneakers members.

Victims services: The Ywca York's victim services department is recognized by The Pennsylvania coalition against domestic violence and The Pennsylvania coalition against rape. Ywca York is The only comprehensive victim services provider in York county, offering 24-hour hotline assistance, emergency shelter, transitional housing, information and referral, hospital response, individual and group counseling for adults and children, legal advocacy, medical advocacy, abuse and sexual violence prevention education and community outreach. Our legal advocates work daily at The York county judicial center to assist clients with protection from abuse orders. Our attorney and paralegal service clients with civil legal matters and court cases. These wide-ranging services are offered at no cost to those that receive them. Fiscal year 2022-2023 accomplishments:* 735 hotline calls were received* provided emergency shelter or transitional housing to 67 adults and 37 children* 2,862 people trained by community education staff* 3,608 shelter nights provided for adults and children * 240 individuals received counseling from our victim assistance center* 764 direct service counseling hours from our victim assistance center

Community initiatives & racial justice services: *our annual race against racism 5k run/walk is held in april. An in-person successful race was successfully held for The first time this year after covid. *we partnered with upmc for their diversity dialog dinner to create a safe space to engage in meaningful conversations on sensitive issues on race, bias, identity and belonging, diversity, equity, and inclusion. *we partnered with The Pennsylvania human relations commission for their Women's history month event, which featured melissa harris-perry, maya angelou presidential chair at wake university. *The front plaza of our main building at 320 e. market street was redeveloped into a beautiful, inviting, and functional entrance. *our playground fence was replaced with a durable structure to provide an adequate safety perimeter for our youth as they engage in healthy play *our quantum opportunities program (qop) extended its programming this summer. It instituted a workforce development program to allow The youth to gain work experience and earn an income. *in partnership with The Pennsylvania human relations commission, deloris jordan, sister of michael jordan, shared her inspiring story of resiliency, strength, and empowerment to encourage staff to persevere regardless of challenges placed before them