YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties Programs
The YMCA has three areas of focus to strengthen the foundations of community:
Youth Development: a commitment to nurturing the potential of children and teens through programs that build confidence, promote positive values, and academic achievement. Programs include: before and after school child care, school readiness and homework help, teen leadership groups, recreational sports, swimming lessons, arts programs, and camping activities.
Healthy Living: promoting healthy living and improving the community's health and well-being through achieving a balance of spirit, mind, and body, for all ages. Programs include: family wellness programs, group exercise classes, small group discussions and counseling, team sports, personal training, diabetes prevention, spiritual development, meditation, and therapy.
Social Responsibility: giving back and providing support to our neighbors through programs including: gang prevention and intervention, military outreach, at-risk/juvenile mentoring, adult literacy programs, environmental education, financial education, college scholarships, and financial assistance.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
The YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties is committed to strengthening the foundations of community. In 2012, the YMCA served over 130,000 people and over 40,000 of those were youth and teens. Our numbers served would be significantly less if not for our commitment to serving all people. In 2012, over $5.6 million in Financial Assistance was provided to support over 30,000 individuals.
The YMCA is uniquely positioned in the community to address many of our community’s most immediate needs including:
Childhood Obesity: Locally, one out of four youth are either overweight or obese. This is the first generation of children who will have a shorter lifespan than their parents. The YMCA is committed to ensuring that every child has access to the YMCA, 60 minutes of physical activity, and the resources to live healthy and balanced lives.
Teen Leadership: By 2018, 70 percent of all jobs in Washington will require employees with post-secondary education. The YMCA is committed to ensuring that every teen graduates from high school, career and college ready. We are working to close the academic achievement gap by offering academic enrichment programs, homework help and so that all students achieve their academic and career goals.