VOLUME 23 | JANUARY 2024
A Publication of Local Umbrella Media
COMMUNITY NEWS
Your Local YMCA – So Much More Than a Gym and Swim
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he YMCA has been serving communities throughout San Diego County since 1928. Each branch has a unique look and feel and strives to meet the needs of its local community. For decades, Y’s across the county have found ways to connect with people of all backgrounds and give them a safe space to learn, grow, meet friends, or improve their health and well-being. Many people know their branch as a place to get a great workout, swim, or enroll their child in after-school care or day camp. But there is so much more to your local YMCA. During the pandemic, the social service “arm” of the Y, also known as Community Support Services (child care, food distribution, counseling, housing, and more), was needed more than ever. Knowing demand was high, this propelled the YMCA of San Diego County’s vision to expand these services and resources directly at the local branch level, making them easily accessible for all who enter our doors. Today, thanks in part to partnerships with organizations at the local and state levels, our Y is proud to continue growing our social services at the localized level to provide community-responsive solutions to help address the social determinants of health that advance equity, opportunity and upward mobility for all using an evidenced-based, measured approach. YMCA locations, particularly those in marginalized communities, provide essential resources and serve their respective communities through health fairs, benefit enrollment assistance, tax preparation services, and food distribution. Our Y staff are trained to recognize the needs of community members and connect them to relevant services at the Y and beyond.
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The Y offers free on-site health education and referral events that provide direct contact with service providers and essential health resources. It is vital to the Y to ensure cultural relevance and linguistic accessibility with a focus on those experiencing the most significant social and health disparities. The evolved YMCA model utilizes Y facilities as platforms to focus on San Diego’s most demanding community challenges – all while still offering beautiful gyms, pools, and service with a smile! “The South Bay Family YMCA is very well positioned to provide wrap-around services for families in crisis,” said Laura Muñoz Humphreys, Regional Executive Director for the South Bay and Border View Family YMCAs. “For example, we recently had a mother approach our staff at the South Bay YMCA who shared that she didn’t
know what she was looking for, but she’d heard the Y could help. The mother was living in her car with her children and confided that she was feeling very depressed. Through our internal and external network, we provided a free membership instantly so she and her children could shower and use the restrooms. We connected her to an emergency shelter and enrolled her children in subsidized after-school childcare. With this support, she’s been able to enroll in school and is improving her family’s life. This mother’s story is only one example of how the Y works toward fulfilling its vision to be the catalyst to transform lives and communities every day.” Programs and services offered at the Y are continuously expanded based on community feedback, with a focus on community well-being and belonging. Through previous listening sessions, the Y learned that a growing number of community members are facing challenging financial and social issues. This feedback has driven the Y’s goals and services, focusing on building
protective factors and increasing access to care through lifestyle change programs and resource navigation. The Y constantly engages in discussions with local organizations, businesses, government officials, and school districts that express interest in alliances and strive to build complementary partnerships to expand service opportunities to all community members. “The Y is for EVERYbody, all the time, no matter your circumstances,” says Anita Keller Scott, Senior Development Director. “We want to meet every family where they are and help them become stronger, healthier individuals, families, and community members.” If you or someone you know is looking for a place to thrive in 2024, consider visiting your local YMCA to find out more or visit our websites: South Bay YMCA: https://www. ymcasd.org/locations/south-bayfamily-ymca Border View YMCA: https://www. ymcasd.org/locations/border-viewfamily-ymca
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