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- EIN 51-0201156
- 501 Stillwater Ave Old Town ME 04468 USA
- www.otoymca.org
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Nonprofit Overview
Causes: Human Services, Young Mens or Womens Associations
Mission: Founded in 1883, YMCAs collectively make up the largest nonprofit community service organization in America. YMCAs are at the heart of community life in neighborhoods and towns across the nation. They work to meet the health and social service needs of 16.9 million men, women and children. Ys help people develop values and behavior that are consistent with Christian principles. Ys are for people of all faiths, races, abilities, ages and incomes. No one is turned away for inability to pay. YMCAs' strength is in the people they bring together. In the average Y, a volunteer board sets policy for its executive, who manages the operation with full-time and part-time staff and volunteer leaders. Ys meet local community needs through organized activities called programs. In its own way, every Y nurtures the healthy development of children and teens; strengthens families; and makes its community a healthier, safer, better place to live. YMCA programs are tools for building the values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. Longtime leaders in community-based health and fitness and aquatics, Ys teach kids to swim, offer exercise classes for people with disabilities and lead adult aerobics. They also offer hundreds of other programs in response to community needs, including camping, child care (the Y movement is the nation's largest not-for-profit provider), teen clubs, environmental programs, substance abuse prevention, youth sports, family nights, job training, international exchange and many more. Organization: Each YMCA is a charitable nonprofit, qualifying under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Tax Code. Each is independent. YMCAs are required by the national constitution to pay annual dues, to refrain from discrimination and to support the YMCA mission. All other decisions are local choices, including programs offered, staffing and style of operation. The national office, called the YMCA of the USA, is in Chicago, with Field offices in California, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota and Texas. It is staffed by 241 employees. Its purpose is to serve member associations. International: YMCAs are at work in more than 120 countries around the world, serving more than 30 million people. Some 230 local US Ys maintain more than 370 relationships with Ys in other countries, operate international programs and contribute to YMCA work worldwide through the YMCA World Service campaign. Like other national YMCA movements, the YMCA of the USA is a member of the World Alliance of YMCAs, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. History: The YMCA was founded in London, England, in 1844 by George Williams and about a dozen friends who lived and worked as clerks in a draperya forerunner of dry-goods and department stores. Their goal was to help young men like themselves find God. The first members were evangelical Protestants who prayed and studied the Bible as an alternative to vice. The Y movement has always been nonsectarian and today accepts those of all faiths at all levels of the organization, despite its unchanging name, the Young Men's Christian Association. The first U.S. YMCA started in Boston in 1851, the work of Thomas Sullivan, a retired sea captain who was a lay missionary. Ys spread fast and soon were serving boys and older men as well as young men. Although 5,145 women worked in YMCA military canteens in World War I, it wasn't until after World War II that women and girls were admitted to full membership and participation in the US YMCAs. Today half of all YMCA members and program members are female, and half are under age 18.
Programs: Membership our membership team is available to serve all who come to the old town - orono ymca regardless of age, race, religion or financial ability. "opening doors" is a scholarship program that provides access to our facility and our programming based on the applicant's income level. Aquatics our aquatics staff provides water education and individual exercise classes from birth to senior years. At 87 degrees, the herb sargent family therapeutic pool provides a warm water environment that aids in teaching children the basics of water safety and progressive swim lessons as well as adult aerobics and senior arthritic exercise classes. The pool is also available during certain hours for birthday parties and group rentals. Childcare our daycare program focuses on the necessary cognitive, social, emotional, mental and physical development skills needed to prepare children for transition into the school system. The ymca staff uses a progressive learning curriculum that stresses listening, communicating and sharing. The staff also teaches the ymca four core values of honesty, caring, respect and responsibility. The age range for this program is 2 1/2 to 5 years of age. Our after school activity program focuses on leadership and self esteem building for k through 8th grade. This program provides access to a computer lab and mentor staff for help with homework assignments. For recreational activities, these children have access to all areas of the ymca, including: aquatics, gymnastics, rock climbing wall, skateboard park and daily sport and fitness activities. Youth sports our youth sports program offers a wide variety of choices including basketball, soccer, floor hockey, football, golf, racquetball and archery. Each program offers lessons in the four core values as well as sportsmanship. Our programs insure that all participants have equal involvement and most of all, fun. Teen and community outreach the teen and community outreach staff focuses on encouraging positive life choices, building self esteem and getting participants active. The target population ranges from middle school aged children through high school and college ages with a primary focus on at-risk teens. This population is attracted in part by the physical facilities that our y has to offer. We have a skate park that has been built entirely through volunteer hands and a rock climbing gym that challenges even the strongest of athletes. Through our mentor/volunteer program we create opportunities to match teens with good role models that can provide fun and healthy activities during after school hours that often includes community service projects. Special needs groups are another target population. We provide a wide range of activities from simple social engagements to goal specific rehab programs. Health and fitness our health and fitness staff offer many opportunities to make exercise and fitness fun for everyone. Through land and water aerobics classes, cycling, personal training and group challenges, our fitness center provides a safe and comfortable location where both beginners and veterans to the fitness field can feel like they belong. Our top notch staff is extremely knowledgeable in the areas personal training and individual specific fitness. Gymnastics our recreational gymnastics program is for both boys and girls. This program helps participants with their coordination, motor skills, flexibility, strength, discipline, confidence and self esteem. Our team gymnastics program trains each week for competition.