THE WEST COOK YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS INC

YOUTH AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT - OUR YMCA IS COMMITTED TO NURTURING THE POTENTIAL OF EVERY CHILD THROUGH COGNITIVE, PHYSICAL, AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. IN ALL OUR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, WE STRIVE TO HELP EACH CHILD ACHIEVE A GREATER SENSE OF WELLBEING: SPECIFICALLY, IN THE AREAS OF SENSE OF BELONGING, ACHIEVEMENT, AND RELATIONSHIPS. WE BELIEVE THAT THESE THREE ELEMENTS ARE VITAL TO A YOUNG PERSON'S DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTER AND CAN HELP THEM BE THE BEST VERSION OF THEMSELVES. OUR GOAL IS THAT THROUGH OUR RANGE OF PROGRAMS WE CAN SUPPORT YOUTH IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS. IN 2023, WE CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE THE SIGNATURE PROGRAM AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM AND SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM POWER SCHOLARS ACADEMY. THESE PROGRAMS SUPPORT SCHOLARS YEAR-ROUND TO ENSURE THEIR LEARNING IS SUPPORTED, PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD SEL SKILLS, THE SUMMER PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY WORKS ON PREVENTING THE SUMMER LEARNING LOSS AIMED AT IMPROVING STUDENTS' ACADEMICS IN MATH AND LITERACY. IN THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE LAUNCHED OUR ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS FOR THE SIGNATURE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM, AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM AIMED AT PARTNERING WITH SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE ACADEMIC, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL, AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SUPPORT WITHIN THE SCHOOLS.

RESIDENCE PROGRAM - SINGLE-ROOM OCCUPANCY (SRO) UNITS HAVE SERVED A CRITICAL NEED OF PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR LOW-INCOME AND FORMERLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS. SROS ARE INDIVIDUAL UNITS WITH SHARED BATHROOM FACILITIES. THE SROS ARE CRITICAL ASSETS WHICH PROVIDE PREVENTATIVE SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS TO MAINTAIN HOUSING AND STAVE OFF POVERTY AND/OR THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT. MOST INDIVIDUALS THAT SEEK OUT SRO HOUSING HAVE INCOMES AT OR BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. THE WEST COOK YMCA IS THE ONLY SINGLE-ROOM OCCUPANCY PROGRAM IN THE WESTERN SUBURBS. IT ADDRESSES THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE OAK PARK AREA. AS A RESULT OF THIS PROGRAM, INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING SO THAT THEY CAN EXPLORE MORE SUSTAINABLE/INDEPENDENT HOUSING. RESIDENTS ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO WELLNESS BENEFITS. IN 2023, THE WCY DID NOT ONBOARD NEW RESIDENTS WHILE WE FOCUSED ON MAINTAINING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR CURRENT RESIDENTS.