YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT:OUR YMCA IS FOCUSED ON ENSURING EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IS PROVIDED TO ALL CHILDREN REGARDLESS OF OBSTACLES THEY MAY HAVE TO OVERCOME IN THEIR PERSONAL LIVES IN AN EFFORT TO HAVE THEM REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. WE BELIEVE IT IS OUR RIGHT TO ALLOW EVERY SINGLE CHILD AND TEEN TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO LEARN, GROW AND THRIVE. WE DO THIS THROUGH A COLLECTION OF WAYS INCLUDING OUR AFTER-SCHOOL AND SUMMER DAY CAMP PROGRAMS, SPORTS PROGRAMS, AND FEEDING PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE. IN 2023 SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY-EIGHT (758) YOUTH PARTICIPATED IN THE YMCA'S CHILDCARE PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN, TWO HUNDRED AND ONE (201) YOUTH LEARNED TEAM BUILDING AND SPORTSMANSHIP SKILLS THROUGH YOUTH SPORTS AND TWO HUNDRED EIGHT-SEVEN (287) YOUTH LEARNED LIVE SAVINGS SKILLS THRU SWIM PROGRAMS. THIS PAST YEAR, THE YMCA FED ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-FIVE THOUSAND (165,000) HEALTHY MEALS AND SNACKS TO CHILDREN TO HELP END CHILDHOOD HUNGER. MOST OF OUR FEEDING SITES ARE LOCATED IN AREAS THAT HAVE AN ESTIMATED TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT FOOD INSECURITY RATE, WHILE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS THIRTEEN PERCENT. THE YMCA ALSO PROVIDES SUBSIDIES AND DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO MAKE PARTICIPATION POSSIBLE FOR ALL CHILDREN.

HEALTHY LIVING:EVIDENCE-BASED HEALTH INTERVENTION (EBHI) PROGRAMS WERE CREATED BY THE METROPOLITAN YMCA OFMISSISSIPPI, IN RESPONSE TO CHANGING HEALTH CARE TRENDS, IN ORDER TO DELIVER COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS THAT HELP OUR COMMUNITY BECOME HEALTHIER AND HAVE A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE. IN 2023 WE DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING (EBHI): BLOOD PRESSURE SELF-MONITORING, MATTER OF BALANCE, HEALTHY BABY AND ME, PARKINSON'S, AND OPIOID PREVENTION PROGRAMMING. PARKINSON'S PROGRAMMING HAD THIRTY (30) MEMBERS. THE CLASSES WERE OFFERED BOTH ON LAND AND ON BIKES TO ACCOMMODATE THE DIFFERENT COMFORT LEVELS OF THE INDIVIDUALS. ANOTHER WAY THE Y HAS IMPACTED LOCAL COMMUNITY NEEDS IS BY IMPLEMENTING MATTER OF BALANCE CLASSES GEARED TOWARDS THE SENIOR CITIZEN POPULATION OF WHICH WE HAD SEVENTEEN (17) PARTICIPANTS. THROUGH A TWO-MONTH PERIOD, PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED CLASSES ON A WEEKLY BASIS THAT WERE FOCUSED ON TEACHING SENIORS HOW TO PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE SELF-MEASURES AND SETTING GOALS THAT WILL PREVENT FALLS. ENCOMPASSED WITH THIS PROGRAM WE ALSO OFFERED ENHANCEDFITNESS WITH ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SEVEN (147) PARTICIPANTS WITH MORE TECHNICS TO PREVENT FALLING. TWENTY-FIVE (25) INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN THE BLOOD PRESSURE SELF-MONITOR PROGRAM TO IMPROVE THEIR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH. FIVE HUNDRED NINTY-TWO (592) SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN 5 EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS IN OUR OPIOID PREVENTION PROGRAM. IN THESE SESSIONS, THEY LEARN SAFETY AROUND MEDICATION AS WELL AS STRENGTHENING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM. THESE PROGRAMS HAVE PROVIDED OUR MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY WITH PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT SHOWCASE WE ARE MORE THAN JUST A GYM. OUR PROGRAMS ARE ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE, AND OPEN TO ANYONE REGARDLESS OF DEMOGRAPHIC MAKEUP, PERSONAL BELIEFS, OR FINANCIAL ABILITY.