2020 Annual Report

1. Reducing childhood drowning through free water safety education.

Drowning is the second leading cause of death of children ages 1 to 14.

The YMCA has raised over one million dollars in the past 10 years, enabling 10,000 children to experience these life-saving lessons. 

Source: WHO Fact Sheet – World Health Organization

3. Eliminating food insecurity by distributing healthy meals.

In Michigan, 1,359,650 people are struggling with hunger – and of them 318,960 are children.

Since 2015, the YMCA has distributed over 800,000 prepared meals. Presently the YMCA distributes 200,000 meals annually at locations throughout metropolitan Detroit in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties year round through the operation of a YMCA kitchen and partnerships with local food providers.

Source: Map the Meal Gap, Feeding America

4. Breaking the poverty cycle by employing youth in summer jobs.

Each young person who disconnects from school or work costs an estimated $704,020 over his or her lifetime in lost earnings, lower economic growth, lower tax revenues and higher government spending.

The YMCA employed over 5,000 young adults ages 18 to 24 as camp counselors, lifeguards, and as youth workers in partnerships with local municipalities.

Source: Why Youth Employment Matters – Justice Policy Institute

5. Nurturing mental health by engaging youth in camp experiences.

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown has brought about a sense of fear and anxiety around the globe. This phenomenon has led to short term as well as long term psychosocial and mental health implications for children and adolescents.

The YMCA has operated Camp Ohiyesa and Camp Nissokone for over 100 years providing children incredible positive experiences that last a lifetime. In the last decade over 10,000 children have experienced YMCA Summer Camps. Summer 2020 in the midst of the pandemic over 500 children were able to safely connect with their peers and overcome social isolation. We expect to serve over 1,500 children Summer 2021. 

Source: Impact of COVID-19 and lockdown on mental health of children and adolescents: A narrative review with recommendations – National Library of Medicine

7. Improving the quality of life through opportunities to create and experience art.

The arts and humanities equip young persons with the capacities to learn from the past, question the present, and envision new possibilities for the future. They are essential to a well-rounded, P-12 education for all Americans.

The YMCA Launched Y Arts 15 years ago. Y Arts operates the Marlene Boll Theatre in downtown Detroit and the Emerging Artists Gallery. These venues introduce artists to new audiences and expose the community to emerging artists. Y Arts provides artistic experience for children with pottery classes, improv workshops in partnership with the Detroit Creativity project, and digital video virtual and in person sessions. Over 1,000 local artist’s works have been presented at the Boll Gallery and Theatre in the past 5 years and over 1,000 children have participated in Y Art classes those years.

Source: The Arts and Humanities in a Well-Rounded Education – US Department of Education

8. Empowering vulnerable girls to become confident young women through Girls on the Run.

By age 12, girls start to have lower self esteem, and less self confidence. Not only do young girls live in a society that tells them they aren’t good enough, but girls are highly influenced by each other around this age. If everyone else seems to be self deprecating, low self esteem begins to be something girls do to fit in. The longer young girls learn to live hating themselves, the harder it is to change their mindset and become more confident.

The YMCA is proud to be the sponsor of  Girls on the Run of Greater Detroit. Girls on the Run helps girls navigate the challenging developmental years in grades 3 to 8, typically ages 8 to 13. We have been connecting young girls to caring coaches for over 10 years, and have hosted 20 races with over 20,000 runners.

Source: Confident Girls Grow Up to be Confident Women – The Center for Family Empowerment

9. Engaging in chronic disease prevention, interventions, and recovery through health & wellness.

Many chronic illnesses such as heart diseases can be prevented or controlled by making healthy life choices including eating nutritious meals and exercising.

The YMCA offers a vast menu of exercise options to all its members. In addition, through our healthy living initiatives we educate the community about eating healthy. We provide in person and virtual workshops for everyone regardless of their Y membership status. The YMCA has served over 50,000 members in the past 10 years.

Source: How You Can Prevent Chronic Diseases – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

10. Encouraging aging adults to adopt active healthy lifestyles through Y programs.

Falls contribute to major injuries of older people. Regular exercise can help older adults improve balance and minimize falls. 

The YMCA is one of several partners who accept insurance base memberships that allow older adults to receive full YMCA member benefits at no cost. These programs are Silver Sneakers, Silver and Fit and Pure Fit. Over 10,000 seniors access the YMCA. They visit the YMCA to  socialize with friends, swim, take classes especially designed  for active older adults and utilize our wellness equipment.  All this contributes to improving the quality life during the aging process.

Source: Making Physical Activity a Part of an Older Adult’s Life – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention