Your Gift will allow us to:
- Tackle childhood and adult obesity
- Provide safe places for youth & teens
- Reduce chronic disease
- Promote healthy living, youth development, and social responsibility
- Be a beacon for collaboration, diversity and inclusion
- Provide additional community programs
- Expand our nurturing, affordable child care
COMMUNITY IMPACT AND BENEFIT
Our programs and services represent our mission in action. They are a direct response to community needs and provide measurable benefits to Northeast Ohio.
>> Read the Community Benefit Overview
Youth Development
Focused on developing the potential of every child and teen
In 2010, the YMCA of Greater Cleveland served 62,386 members—71% of which are families and youth.
We provide a wide range of activities to develop healthy and productive children including sports leagues, swim lessons, gymnastics, dance, martial arts and other youth development programs.
All youth activities incorporate the YMCA Core Values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility and are open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.
Child Care: We are one of the largest providers of high quality, affordable child care in the Greater Cleveland area. We offer before and after school child care, and preschool and summer day camp programs to working families regardless of their ability to pay. In 2010, over 2,293 children were served through these programs.
Community Youth Services: In response to the increasing negative and high-risk behaviors confronting today’s youth, the YMCA of Greater Cleveland has designed an innovative and highly successful programming model that involves families, schools, the juvenile justice system, collaborating agencies, and the community at large – all of which have an opportunity to make a positive impact on the youth of our community. The Community Youth Services (CYS) division currently offers the following programs in YMCA branches, in schools, and at satellite locations: Youth & Government, Teen Court, Living in Female Empowerment, and Y-Achievers.
>> Read the CYS Community Benefit Report
>> Read the Teen Court Community Benefit Report
>> Read the Y Achievers Community Benefit Report
Teens & Family Strengthening: Developing our teens into the future leaders of tomorrow has been a longstanding tradition of the YMCA. In our teen programs we provide teens with the opportunity to grow and develop as individuals through teen clubs and activities that emphasize leadership, life skills and giving back to our community. Family time programs including family activity nights, holiday events and Adventure Guides help strengthen the bonds within the family, developing healthier relationships and a stronger community.
Healthy Living
Focused on the nation’s Health & Well-Being
Health Crisis: The YMCA has a long tradition of providing programs and services that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all. At the YMCA of Greater Cleveland we continue this commitment today by engaging and supporting all health seekers – individuals of all ages who wish to pursue a healthy lifestyle, but struggle to do so. More than 43,046 individuals participated in healthy lifestyle programs at our branches in 2010.
Diabetes Education: Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death in the State of Ohio. Physical activity and nutrition are two key behaviors known to reduce diabetes risk and help manage the disease. Since 2008, the YMCA of Greater Cleveland, through collaboration with local agencies and funding through the Ohio Department of Health, has provided a free 10 week diabetes education program including access to all YMCA facilities and programs to 292 individuals learning to live with this disease.
>> Read the Diabetes Community Benefit Report
Childhood Obesity: With childhood obesity rates climbing at an alarming rate, the YMCA of Greater Cleveland is committed to providing youth programs that directly impact and influence children in developing healthy lifestyles. Through our swim lessons, youth fitness classes, after-school activities and sports programs we are giving our children the tools they need to lead a long and healthy life. Our We Run This City youth marathon program, designed to encourage healthy habits and exercise in Cleveland’s young people, involved 550 participants from 35 middle and high schools in the city’s municipal school district.
>> Read the We Run This City Youth Marathon Community Benefit Report
Seniors: One of the fastest growing segments of our membership is the senior population – those aged 60 years plus. The YMCA provides group exercise, cycling, water aerobics, nutrition classes, social events and Active Older Adult days all designed specifically to meet the needs of our senior population. Approximately 17% of the participants in our 2010 health and wellness programs were seniors. We currently serve 7,711 SilverSneaker members in a program exclusively for those who are age 65 plus.
Community Focus: As a community-based organization, we provide many activities and events each year in collaboration with other community groups.
Over the last year, we provided free health fairs & screenings, Healthy Kids Day, America on the Move Week, SPLASH (a free water safety education program), Neighborhood Walking Clubs along with other exercise and nutrition activities all of which are valued at more than $1,373,325 in benefit to the community.
In addition, through our Clevelanders in Motion program over 500 individuals received a free, comprehensive health risk appraisal. These screenings are based at community recreation centers to help address the obesity problem within the city of Cleveland and include supplemental programming and wellness coaching. All of these activities and events are free of charge and open to all, consistent with the YMCA of Greater Cleveland mission to serve all.
>> Read the Healthy Communities Community Benefit Report
Social Responsibility
Focused on giving back and providing support to our neighbors
In 2010, we served more than 43,046 people in diverse communities within the Greater Cleveland area. We bring together young and old, men and women, people of all faiths, backgrounds and incomes. No one is turned away for inability to pay. Scholarships, subsidies and outreach provide critical access to low-income families. To help support them through a difficult time, families of men and women on active duty with any branch of the United States military also receive a free YMCA membership.
We provided $742,042 in financial assistance and an additional $3,543, 164 in program subsidies for children, youth and families. This represents 17 % of our total expenses.
Other Nonprofit Organizations: In 2010, the YMCA of Greater Cleveland provided $130,670 worth of facility use and meeting space at little or no charge for outside clubs, non-profits, and other community service organizations to help provide support and build collaborations within our community.
Locally Driven: The YMCA of Greater Cleveland was developed through the support of local community leaders and based on the specific needs of each community. The Branch Community Advisory Boards and various committees are made up of volunteers from within the local community that provide leadership, support and direction to the branch and its staff.
Contributed Income: Our YMCA received $611,389 in support from annual community contributions and an additional $2,713,380 in funding from community foundations and capital contributions in 2010. This represents 17% of our total revenue.
Volunteer Hours: This year, the YMCA of Greater Cleveland has mobilized more than 1,161 volunteers to serve within our branches and our programs. The hours contributed by these volunteers totals $1,120,584 in dollar value worth of time given back to the community. In addition, employees of the YMCA of Greater Cleveland are encouraged to give back to their communities by serving on local boards and volunteering their time at community events. In 2010, staff from the YMCA of Greater Cleveland contributed $83,004 in service to their community.
Key Partnerships: Recognizing the importance of collaborations, each branch of the YMCA of Greater Cleveland has created key partnerships with many community organizations during 2010 including local school districts, hospitals, recreation departments and other youth service organizations.
The Euclid Collaborative program, housed at the Euclid Family YMCA has served over 1000 families and engages a variety of agencies, faith based organizations and concerned residents to meet the needs and establish a partnership with service providers for Euclid residents.
>> Read the Euclid-Hillcrest Collaborative Communty Benefit Report
Front Line Community Service: In 2010, the YMCA of Greater Cleveland received $2,898,719 in Government Funding, including grants, contracts and vouchers to provide front line service. For example, our Y-Haven program assists 133 homeless men age 18 and older to become self-sufficient and achieve permanent housing. Through Y-Haven, these men receive transitional housing, treatment for substance abuse and mental illness, educational training and vocational assistance.
>> Read the Y Haven Community Benefit Report
>> Read the Open Door Community Benefit Report
Special Populations: The YMCA of Greater Cleveland recognizes the need for targeted programs for locally vulnerable populations. Because of this need, we have worked in collaboration with other agencies to provide diabetes education, programs for children with autism and other physical or developmental disabilities, activities for local group homes as well as swim programs for individuals with arthritis and multiple sclerosis.