Wabash County Young Mens Christian Association Inc

Programs: The mission of the wabash county ymca is to put christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. Through new initiatives and dynamic programming in 2017, the wabash county ymca was able to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve our community's health and well-being, and provide support to our neighbors. Youth development the y is committed to nurturing the potential of every child and teen. We believe that all kids deserve the opportunity to discover who they are and what they can achieve. That's why we help young people cultivate values, skills and relationships that lead to positive behaviors, better health, and educational achievement. Ymca youth development programs specifically target at-risk youth using best-practices methods. As a county where 1 in 2 children under 18 are living near the poverty line, this is key. Summer learning loss prevention during the summer of 2017, the y operated a summer learning loss prevention program for 153 students who entered first, second and third grade in fall of 2017. 93% of participants in 2017 qualified for free and reduced lunch, putting them at higher risk for summer learning loss. Spark provided literacy instruction from certified teachers to ensure that students in the program did not experience summer learning loss, and in fact most students even gained reading skills and many began the next school year at grade level. Students also experienced enrichment activities in the areas of art, music, physical activity, character development, stem enrichment, and field trips. Before and after school care in 2017, the y responded to the community's need for before and after school care. Students are provided with a healthy snack, participate in physical activities, and receive homework help. Wabash county promise/promise indiana in past years, the ymca collaborated with other community leaders to develop and launch an initiative called the wabash county promise. The promise affords an actionable means for the county to build assets for our youth - by influencing expectations, changing behaviors, and developing 529 college savings accounts. To date, the promise has resulted in over $7,000,000 in deposits into collegechoice 529 college savings accounts. Through a deep partnership with indiana's collegechoice529 program, as of 2017, promise is now engaging 18 counties throughout indiana. Peer-reviewed research by the center on assets, education and inclusion (aedi) at the university of michigan, has found that ownership of a 529 college savings account through the promise is associated with higher parental expectations for their child's future educational attainment. Further, having a 529 account through the promise is associated with increases in math and reading scores for low-income students, important indicators for future academic success. Youth sports a youth sports experience has the power to improve academic outcomes and support an active lifestyle through adulthood. In our community, minimal parental involvement and financial hardship are barriers to youth sports participation. In 2017, nearly 2,500 youth participated in sport experiences through the y. Healthy living we bring families closer together, encourage good health, and foster connections through fitness, sports, fun, and shared interests. As a result, over 12,000 people in our community are receiving the support, guidance, and resources they need to achieve greater health in spirit, mind and body. This is particularly important as our nation struggles with an obesity crisis, families struggle with work/life balance, and individuals search for personal fulfillment. In 2017, 1 in 4 members who otherwise wouldn't have been able to participate received that opportunity through financial assistance. Complete well-being one out of every three residents in our primary market area is a member of the y and countless visitors participate in y programming to improve well-being. All members have access to rightnow media, which lets health seekers listen to devotionals and bible studies while they work out - providing wellness for mind, body, and spirit simultaneously. Connection group exercise classes for all abilities and interests happen every day of the week, at all hours of the day, and dash in the 'bash is a 5k run that brings our community together to celebrate fitness goals and have fun being active. By seeking to reach every member where they are, we are able to support varied goals, skill levels and needs. Social responsibility the ymca believes in giving back and supporting our neighbors. In wabash county, we have been listening and responding to our community's most critical social needs for more than 13 years. We deliver training, resources, and support that empower our neighbors to effect change, bridge gaps, and overcome obstacles. In 2017, we engaged 918 volunteers in work that strengthened our community and paved the way for future generations to thrive. 4,726 free meals were served to children in need. Togetherhood in late summer 2017, over 200 dedicated wabash volunteers come together for togetherhood, a day supporting the needs of over 15 local nonprofits. Childcare on election days to support the right and privelage of every member of our community to voice their political opinion, we provided 10 hours of free childcare to voters, open to the public. Water safety program in partnership with local schools and parkview hospital, the y conducts a water safety swim program. In 2017, 567 kids in kindergarten through seventh grade participated in the program at no cost. Students developed confidence in the water, improved swim skills, and learned life lessons through water safety awareness.