YMCA OF FLORIDA’S FIRST COAST fourteen DEAR MEMBERSHIP FACILITIES one FRIENDS, RESIDENT CAMP The YMCA of Florida’s First Coast has much to celebrate. This Annual Community Impact Report allows us to reflect proudly on what we have accomplished over the last year in our commitment one to youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. It is CHARTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL our sincere hope that in reading this report you will understand that none of this would be possible without your support. Thank you for all that you do to help us create a stronger, healthier community. three Although we have made much progress, we look forward to the YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CAMPUSES work still ahead in nurturing the potential of every child, improving the well-being of northeast Florida and uniting our neighbors to impact social change. Please give, join and volunteer with us and you will experience how the Y is so much more. thirty-five SCHOOL-BASED CHILD CARE SITES We welcome Michael D. Kelly as the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board of Directors and look forward to his leadership in elevating the mission of the Y, engaging the community and embracing those in need. one AQUATICS CENTER two Sincerely, FACILITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES Eric K. Mann President & CEO ASSOCIATIONONE DEDICATED TO CREATING LASTING, POSITIVE CHANGE STARTING FROM THE GROUND UP. C. Ronald Coleman, Jr. THE Y IS A POWERFUL ASSOCIATION OF MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN OF Chairman, Board of Directors ALL AGES AND FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE JOINED TOGETHER BY A SHARED PASSION: TO STRENGTHEN THE FOUNDATIONS OF COMMUNITY. Go ahead. Read on. DAYSTAR In 2014, we served 30 individuals with disabilities in the Daystar program at the Dye Clay and Barco-Newton Ys. The program has allowed them to spend the day in a place where they can achieve personal goals and be cared for in a welcoming environment. The program also helps their families by giving them time to either get a little rest for themselves or continue to work so they are able to provide for their loved ones in the program. Goals for each individual are made with a team approach including parents, guardians, support coordinators and/or group home personnel and Daystar staff, and these goals are monitored daily and recorded to meet State Licensure Standards. Twenty-two of the 30 have worked hard at striving to attain their goals on a daily basis. Some individuals have even accomplished their goals and have had new goals set for them. During the annual review in December 2014, we attained a first ever 100 percent for Daystar. Thanks to the generosity of Baptist Health Foundation, we are expanding our swimming program for the individuals that are able to participate. They get so much joy from this activity! DARKNESS TO LIGHT We believe that each individual In order to make the CREATING has a great greatest impact, we A SAFER deal to enjoy need to train and experience COMMUNITY The YMCA of Florida’s First Coast, Baptist Health, in life. Communities in Schools, Children’s Safe Passage, Jacksonville Children’s Commission, Monique Burr Foundation for Children, 50,000 USO Jacksonville, Wolfson Children’s Hospital THE PLAYERS adults by 2019 through the Center for Child Health and WJCT have formed the Northeast Florida Darkness To Light Stewards of Children Coalition. This partnership’s purpose is to decrease childhood sexual abuse ACTIVE OLDER ADULTS in Northeast Florida by building a preventative movement With the help of our community partners, the Y offers more that overwhelms the size of the problem, empowering than 43 classes, programs and presentations for our Active an unprecedented number of people with the skills and Older Adult members, including SilverSneakers® exercise D2L knowledge to protect children through completing the classes, lunch and learns, field trips, birthday parties and Stewards of Children Darkness to Light (D2L) Stewards of Children child sexual pickleball. From participating in city-wide fitness challenges abuse prevention training. to learning how to ballroom dance, our AOA members grow child sexual abuse 26% Visit FirstCoastYMCA.org for additional information physically, mentally and spiritually, while connecting with others who share similar values. of Y members are prevention training. and a list of upcoming trainings. over the age of 60. YMCA READS! TEEN PROGRAMING YMCA READS! began in August of 2005 when the Florida Department With a focus on uplifting teens, the Y launched new teen of Education granted $1.5 million to the Florida State Alliance of programming in 2015 beginning at the Johnson Family Y with YMCAs. The purpose of the grant was for the Florida Alliance of plans to expand across the Association. The program offers YMCAs to develop an innovative volunteer-driven literacy and opportunities to give back, learn life skills and prepare for mentoring program that targets students in kindergarten through future careers. third grade. The YMCA of Florida’s First Coast matches the grant dollars received with funds raised through the Annual Campaign and In our Youth In Government (YIG) program, high school United Way of Northeast Florida. students have the opportunity to build leadership skills, self- confidence and learn first-hand how our state government The targeted demographics consisted of students from low- operates all while earning college credit through a youth-run, performing schools or schools with high rates of students reading youth-led model government process. Founded in 1957, YIG below grade level. YMCA READS! targets these students in order has shaped young lives in Florida for more than 57 years by to help them develop solid reading skills before taking the Florida teaching that in order to lead, you must first learn to serve Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in the third grade. During the others. This program has been active in St. Johns and Clay 2013-2014 school year, the program served 15 schools. Of the 15, Counties for several years and four new Duval County schools three are part of our Y service area in Duval County. joined us in 2014. KINGS TRAIL ELEMENTARY, Southside TOTAL MENTORS: 19 TOTAL STUDENTS: 46 MENTOR SESSIONS: 791 MENTOR HOURS: 989 Through participating in YIG, I learn about other points of view that I never even thought PARKWOOD HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY, Arlington of before. It teaches social tolerance, and helps TOTAL MENTORS: 27 TOTAL STUDENTS: 57 to produce more civically aware and involved individuals in our community. I now understand MENTOR SESSIONS: 656 MENTOR HOURS: 1048 the inner workings of our government and the process of writing, debating and passing the TIGER ACADEMY, Northwest Jacksonville ideas that have shaped our state. Being in this TOTAL MENTORS: 29 TOTAL STUDENTS: 58 program has inspired me to pursue a law career MENTOR SESSIONS: 716 MENTOR HOURS: 1098 after I graduate. -HANNAH SHAFFER Each YMCA READS! site has a OUT OF THE 108 TOTAL COUNSELORS IN TRAINING UNIQUE CIT full-time site coordinator who PARTICIPANTS supervises trained mentors. YEAR-END SURVEYS: Camp Immokalee, the Y’s resident camp in Keystone Heights, 36 Although the primary focus is on Florida, makes a difference in the lives of hundreds of children each year. There is a special spirit of the camp experience that improving the children’s reading draws campers back year after year. Many of our campers WEEKS skills, the mentors also help the spend close to a decade as a camper. When some teens are OF CAMP facing that final year as a camper, they often realize they do not 6 children develop self-esteem and want their Immokalee journey to end. the ability to build relationships. The program is delivered The Counselor In Training program gives teens (ages 16 and 17) CITS EACH WEEK LED in a structured afterschool 100% a new level of leadership and a life-long training opportunity. 12 For a two-week commitment during the summer, young men format. Each child’s progress is • Parents & teachers and women learn leadership skills, work ethic and what it takes monitored carefully and family found the program beneficial to make a successful camp experience for the kids attending. 2014 SUMMER involvement is encouraged. It is a program that transitions those longtime campers into • Students’ reading improved strongly-equipped Camp Immokalee camp counselors. 542 CAMPERS GO FOR GREEN! DIABETES At the Y, we recognize swimming is a life skill as well as great PREVENTION exercise and a challenging sport. During the summer, the YMCA PROGRAM offers Go for Green!, a swim initiative focusing on improving water safety and swimming abilities of all children participating in The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program Y summer camp programs. In 2014, 1,106 participants across the is part of the CDC-led National Diabetes First Coast took advantage of this program through a structured, Prevention Program. This program helps safe curriculum. those who have been diagnosed with prediabetes, or believe they may be at Go for Green! is critical as statistics show drowning is the second high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, PARTICIPANTS leading cause of unintentional death in children ages 1 to 14 adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles 1,106 and it takes just one inch of water and only 10 seconds to claim by eating healthier, increasing physical another life. The Y offers free swim testing to determine the activity and losing a modest amount of level of each child – Red are non-swimmers (ability levels 1, 2, 3), weight in order to reduce their chances GREEN AT START Yellow are beginning swimmers (ability levels 4, 5, 6) and Green of developing the disease. 38% OF SUMMER are swimmers (ability levels 7, 8, 9). At the beginning of this past summer, only 38 percent of campers tested at the Green Level.