Stronger Together 2015 Annual Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
STRONGER TOGETHER 2015 ANNUAL REPORT Cover photo: Jianeli Maldonado, YMCA Water Wise participant STRONGER TOGETHER Dear Friends, It is with great pride that we report on the success of the YMCA of Delaware in 2015. With a strong sense of mission and purpose, we celebrate our achievements in the areas of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Looking back at 2015, you will see that we have made great strides in broadening our reach and impact in the communities we serve- and we couldn’t do it alone. YMCA staff, volunteers, donors, and community leaders working together make it possible for us to carry out our mission every day and change the lives of the children and families we support. In 2015, the YMCA of Delaware awarded a record- breaking 4.6 million dollars in financial assistance for membership and programs, making the Y accessible for more people regardless of ability to pay. Much of this assistance went to single parent families and those who could not afford child care or summer camp. We also provided 3,952 children from low to moderate income households free beginner swim lessons, making them comfortable and safe around the water. In addition, the Y provided more than 150,000 free and nutritious meals to children in our before and after school programs. The summer of 2015 was a time of tremendous impact with the Y providing more than 725,000 dollars in financial assistance to deserving families, making camp a dream come true for so many children. In addition, we launched the pilot program Take on Summer, an initiative that offered 400 City of Wilmington teenagers a free membership to the downtown Central and Walnut Street YMCAs to provide a positive and safe environment for them during the summer months. During the summer months, our work shifted to reducing Summer Learning Loss with proven approaches to integrated learning. As summer transitioned into fall, we continued our work to close the Achievement Gap with a focused approach in after school programs where we serve 2000 children a day. We charged ahead with fighting obesity and obesity-related chronic diseases, like diabetes, through our health and wellness programs. Our evidence-based Diabetes Prevention program was nationally recognized for being a leader in this important work and our Healthy Weight and Your Child initiative is tackling the childhood obesity epidemic in our state. In the spirit of a Y for All, we launched an innovative adaptive fitness program and hope to introduce this life-changing initiative at other branches this year. It’s the spirit, commitment, and expertise brought by all of our partners, which allows us to make such a powerful impact on so many lives. We truly thank you for your continued dedication and support. Yours in service, Deborah Bagatta-Bowles, Hal Erskine, Board Chair Chief Executive Officer 2 | YMCA OF DELAWARE 2015 ANNUAL REPORT • WWW.YMCADE.ORG Students from the Central YMCA making memories in front of Legislative Hall during the 48th Annual Youth in Government Model Legislative and Judicial Conference. In 2015, the Y of Delaware installed adaptive equipment designed to integrate people with disabilities into a fitness community. Here, Jim Kelly (COO, YMCA) and Y member Anne Dunlap demonstrate the harness system at the Kaysan Salaam gives a big smile while participating in the Water Wise Program at the Walnut Street Bear-Glasgow Family YMCA. YMCA. In 2015, Water Wise served 3,952 children, teaching them important life-saving swim skills. A much anticipated event during the summer is All Camp Day. At this event, all theYMCA YMCA OFday DELAWARE camps come together2015 ANNUAL for sing-alongs, REPORT lunch, • color WWW.YMCADE.ORG war games, and | 3 the chance to climb on dozens of inflatable playgrounds. BEAR-GLASGOW YMCA 2015 YEAR IN REVIEW The operative word for the Bear-Glasgow with more than 80 “Bears.” They with disabilities into a community fitness Family YMCA in 2015 is inclusion. We are succeeded in winning the Suburban Swim setting, instead of being in a segregated truly the “Y for All.” The branch is a melting League Championship, and in 2016, they medical or physical therapy room, is an pot for people of all ages, income levels and will move up to the next swim division. outcome we aim to achieve. backgrounds. Camp Cassey was bursting with children Our member events support individuals and who explored science and nature, music, families in doing fun things together. We YOUTH DEVELOPMENT team building, and arts and crafts. Teen held our annual Healthy Kids Day, Summer Family Fitness continues to be a strong Leaders Camp provided our teens with an Pool Party, Back To School Night Fun, and theme, as we encourage our families to play opportunity to lead groups, help supervise a Christmas Celebration. By far, the biggest and be active together at the Y. This year field trips and work on becoming better event we celebrated was the return of The we added new programs to allow our large leaders. Our Day Camp outdoor facility Great Pumpkin Run & Fall Family Festival family population to work out together. received a mini-facelift and upgrade with more than 300 runners of all ages These programs include Family Fun Time to accommodate our growing camper participating in our 5K event. In true Y family with relay races on the sports wall, scooter population. We added two new pavilions style, we kicked off with a Kiddie K Run, races, kickball, t-ball and parent/child onto our vast 110 acre site. We upgraded where more than 50 kids, ages 6 months to tug of war. We continue to offer family our family Welcome Center and added a 8 years old, ran an age-appropriate course favorites such as Family Running, Fun & GaGa Pit. Finally, we topped it off with to claim their running medals. The race was Fit, Family Fitness Friday, Family Yoga and a brand new camp sign on our property, held at Glasgow Park across from the Y and Zumba Family. which unabashedly declares our camp name festivities culminated at the YMCA pavilion “Camp Cassey.” with food, race awards and a Fall Family Consistent with our family theme, we Festival. added a lifestyle change program with two year-long classes, which included HEALTHY LIVING record participation from local families. This year, we added a unique, collaborative SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Twenty-nine families participated in program, The Y for All — Harnessing Our Open Doors program ensures that Healthy Weight and Your Child, which Inclusion and installed adaptive equipment everyone in our community can be a empowers families to reach a healthy designed to integrate persons with member of the YMCA regardless of ability weight and live a healthier lifestyle through disabilities into our YMCA community. A to pay. In 2015, the branch gave more regular physical activity, behavior change press conference was held in August at the than $900,000 in financial assistance and healthy eating. Some of the overall Bear-Glasgow Family Y, where community for memberships and programs such as outcomes include a decrease in child waist organizations serving persons with Day Camp, Before & After School Care and circumference and adult BMI as well as disabilities, elected officials and members life-saving swim lessons. More than 50% of increases in child self-esteem, quality of life of the press flooded the room. There is our Open Doors awards were given to single and adult nutrition. no doubt that it is the collaboration of parent households who desperately need We added a Fall Swim Team Prep the Y, EPIC—Endless Possibilities in the our assistance so that their children are program designed for youth interested Community, the University of Delaware able to take advantage of YMCA programs. in participating in swim team, but not and Enliten (the innovators of the harness Approximately, one in five of our members quite ready to make the commitment. Our system), that makes this program possible. receive some type of financial support. Summer Swim Team had record attendance The possibility of mainstreaming persons 4 | YMCA OF DELAWARE 2015 ANNUAL REPORT • WWW.YMCADE.ORG BRANDYWINE YMCA 2015 YEAR IN REVIEW In 2015, the Brandywine YMCA continued to receive help with homework, participate past year, participation in our programs to work on preparation and capital plans to in physical activity, have fun with friends, for seniors increased with more board expand the building, which will better meet and have a nutritious snack in a supportive games, card playing, field trips and chair the growing demands of the community and environment facilitated by caring adults. stretching. We also added a number of increased volume of activity in the facility. Summer 2015 was a record breaking camp popular small group fitness classes for The capital development plans will provide season! We served 12% more children adults including Spinning and GRIT. the addition of approximately 20,000 than the prior year (460 campers). Camp square feet, which will create opportunities Quoowant is not just a kid’s affair; Color SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY to develop more comprehensive youth Wars Parent Night had 107 participants! and teen programming in the branch and The Brandywine YMCA engages a number increase our capacity to serve our members The Brandywine Y Swim Team had of groups in volunteer efforts at our of all ages and abilities. The addition also another great season. The swimmers and Hanby Outdoor Center. The Brandywine Y will include meeting and multi-use space for parents have fully embraced the team’s Swim Team and a number of Boy Scout and fellowship and community meetings, which motto, “Believe in the Process,” along with Girl Scout troops volunteered at the center, allow connections and social interactions the team’s mission to be “committed to preparing it for the upcoming summer to thrive.