Community News 2024 Issue 2

COMMUNITY NEWS SWIM INTO SUMMER

With support from Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie, the Y is piloting the Swim Into Summer Initiative to provide free swim lessons to more than 500 New Yorkers across the five boroughs. Participants will be selected from Y Afterschool programs and other community partnerships.

The pilot program will offer lessons at eight locations: the Castle Hill Y in the Bronx, the Greenpoint Y in Brooklyn, the Harlem Y in Manhattan, the Cross Island, Long Island City, and Rockaway Ys in Queens, and the Broadway and South Shore Ys in Staten Island.

The Y is actively developing new strategies to help ensure even more New Yorkers are prepared to keep themselves and their families safe around the water. In addition to our long-standing Second Grade Swim Program, which provides free swim lessons to second graders with support from the New York City Council, the Y is working with schools and the City to open up pools for longer hours and recruit and train more lifeguards and swim instructors needed to keep New Yorkers safe in the water.•

Children receiving free swim lessons at the Rockaway Y.

REACHING OUT

Y PARTNERS HELP EXPAND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT CONNECTIONS

Each year the Y partners with organizations to bring voter registration and educational information into our communities at National Voter Registration Day in September and Healthy Kids Day in April. This Healthy Kids Day we hosted registration drives at nearly every YMCA, in partnership with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Brooklyn NAACP, Brooklyn Voters Alliance, Generation Vote, League of

Women Voters, Metropolitan Asian Deaf Association, MinKwon Center for Community Action, NALEO Educational Fund, NYC Votes, Queens Board of Elections, Staten Island Board of Elections, SuperMarvelous Society, and Williamsbridge NAACP. Together our partners registered dozens of new voters and spoke to hundreds of community members about showing up to vote.

NYC Votes has also done additional outreach, registering voters at food distribution days at the Coney Island and North Brooklyn Ys, and being onsite at the Cross Island Y when there was a special election in their district. The Brooklyn NAACP has also scheduled additional days for voter registration and outreach at the Bedford-Stuyvesant, Dodge, and Flatbush Ys.•

KNICK OF TIME

NY KNICKS HOST CLINICS AND CAREER PANEL AT YMCA LOCATIONS

The Y’s partnership with the New York Knicks continues to grow each year and create meaningful experiences for Y youth. In recent months the Knicks hosted basketball clinics for Saturday Night Lights (SNL) participants at four Y branches on the same night.

The free clinics were part of the third year of an ongoing partnership between the Y, the Knicks, and the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development. This partnership centers around SNL - a youth development and violence prevention program providing free sports and fitness activity for more than 1,100 youth at 17 YMCA locations across the city. At clinics, teens strengthened their basketball skills and got to meet Knicks legends like John Starks and Larry Johnson.

Teens citywide also flocked to the West Side Y to take part in a Career Panel event featuring John Starks and employees from the Knicks and Madison Square Garden, followed by a speed networking session. Each of the teens walked away with a padfolio for interviews, Knicks swag, and valuable career advice.•

(l to r) Knicks alum Larry Johnson cheers with teens at the Bedford-Stuyvesant Y; Knicks alum John Starks joins State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal at the West Side Y for the Knicks Career Panel.

Knicks staff and Manhattan Deputy Borough President Keisha Sutton-James (on right) join excited teens at the Career Panel.

(l to r) Some Y teens had an opportunity to play on the court at Madison Square Garden; teens at the Broadway Y sit in for a coaching session; Bed Stuy players show off their new gear.

Participants at the Northeast Bronx Y, including Council Member Kevin Riley.

Y CHAMPIONS

THE Y HOSTS INAUGURAL DONOR AND VOLUNTEER CELEBRATION

The Y hosted its inaugural Y Champions Celebration, an evening dedicated to honoring our remarkable donors and volunteers whose steadfast support has been the driving force behind our mission to open doors for all New Yorkers.

At the heart of the event were our Volunteers of the Year, who made a meaningful impact on countless individuals and families at our branches, embodying the spirit of service that lies at the core of our organization.

We also had the privilege of highlighting Faces of Impact participants – individuals whose lives have been transformed by the Y’s essential programs and services. Thanks to our community of donors, we continue to strengthen and empower New Yorkers across the five boroughs.•

PEDAL WITH PURPOSE

TEAM Y CHAMPIONS RIDES IN THE TD FIVE BORO BIKE TOUR

Team Y Champions charity riders had a blast at this year’s TD Five Boro Bike Tour. Together, we raised $13,000 to support essential programs like Y Summer Day Camp. Nearly one in three Y Summer Day Camp families will require financial assistance this summer, and Team Y Champions help make that support possible for our communities.

A special thanks to our amazing cocaptains, Chris Geraci from the Fund Development Committee, and Michael Rivadeneyra, YMCA Vice President of Government Relations. The Y is grateful to our riders and community of donors who put the meaning behind the miles.•

(left) James Jeter, Volunteer of the Year and a Face of Impact participant from Rockaway Y; (above) Chinatown Y board and staff members celebrate with members of the YMCA’s Board of Directors (l to r): Chinatown Y Executive Director Michael Keller, Y Board Member Raymond Yu, James Wong, Sze Chan, Amy Ho, TerriAnn Smith, Tony Wong, Tony Kung, Priscilla Liu, Michelle Wang, Filippa Ferriolo, YMCA President and CEO Sharon Greenberger, Peter Fu, Y Board Chair Sandie O’Connor, Oksana Antonyuk.

YOUNG, GIFTED, AND EDUCATED

THE HARLEM Y EMPOWERS TEENS THROUGH THE BAI INITIATIVE

Founded in 1971 by Dr. Leo B. Marsh, the Black Achievers in Industry (bai) program marked the start of the Harlem Y and corporate partners coming together to transform the lives of New York City’s youth. Today, the bai Initiative continues to empower underserved youth to achieve educational and career success by offering a foundation of support through the four pillars (Scholarship, Mentorship, Corporate Internship and a Tour of Historically Black Colleges and Universities) and providing access to opportunities to develop critical leadership skills. This spring, over 30 teens in the program went on an HBCU tour, visiting Cheney University, Delaware State University, Howard University, and Morgan State University.

Corporate partners play a key role in offering young people professional mentorship, internships, and scholarships. Since the program launched, more than 850 scholarships have been awarded to teens at the bai Gala. Celebrating its 52nd

year, the bai Gala also honors emerging corporate professionals and recognizes corporations engaged in community work.

The Y is grateful for our leadership supporters of the bai Initiative including

Colgate-Palmolive Company, Con Edison, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, L’Oreal, New York Life, The H.W. Wilson Foundation, and The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. •

BAI participants outside of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

THE Y AND ITS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS DEEPEN IMPACT IN COMMUNITIES

KEEPING KIDS SAFE

The Chinatown Y’s Preventive Services Director Narcisa Loza and fellow staff joined ACS Commissioner Jess Dannhauser (center) and ACS Associate Commissioner Luisa Linares at a rally on the steps of City Hall to highlight the importance of child abuse prevention.

AMONG LEADERS

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries met with people as he hosted an annual NYCHA Leaders Luncheon at the Coney Island Y.

MOCHA MOMS

The Cross Island Y hosted a Health and Wellness Day and Brunch with Mocha Moms and the First Lady of Queens Tameka Richards in celebration of Women’s History Month. Vice President of Operations La-Vena Francis was on hand to receive a donation to support Y programming.

COMING HOME

The West Side Y hosted PBS NewsHour to interview WNBA All Star and Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner about her new book, and she took time to hit the court with some of the Y’s youngest players.

10 YEARS YOUNG

The Coney Island Y celebrated 10 years of serving the local community by recognizing diehard members like Edith Storch, seen with Coney Island Y Executive Director Sam Moore, who joined on the first day it opened.

FAMILY FIRST

Governor Kathy Hochul visited the Dodge Y to highlight New York State’s status as the first state in the nation to enact a standalone prenatal leave policy. Attendees included (l to r) YMCA Vice President of Government Relations Michael Rivadeneyra, Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon, Dodge Y Executive Director Caroline Sanchez, and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.

HOME AT LAST

The Castle Hill Y partnered with Animal Care Centers of NYC to host an adoption event where all the animals found a forever home with Y members.

TINY PLANTERS

The South Shore Y teamed up with arborist John Kilcullen of NYC Parks and Recreation to host a tree planting event for Pre-K program participants in honor of Earth Day.

IMMIGRANTS ARE NEW YORK

YMCA Vice President of Government Relations Michael Rivadeneyra spoke on the steps of City Hall to advocate for funding for adult literacy programs.

YMCA of Greater New York

5 West 63rd Street, 6th Floor

New York, NY 10023

212 630 9600

ymcanyc.org

BUILDING HEALTHY HABITS

YMCAs ACROSS THE CITY HOST HEALTHY KIDS DAY

As part of an annual tradition, YMCAs across the five boroughs hosted Healthy Kids Day events, free community gatherings that give families a leg up in building healthy habits in kids. Activities included family Zumba, soccer, basketball, and obstacle courses, as well as fun activities like bouncy houses, face painting, and arts and crafts. Many Ys hosted a healthy snacks center with tips on nutritious eating.•

(l to r ) Kids at the Vanderbilt Y laugh it up; Castle Hill Y Executive Director Sharlene Brown and Council Member Amanda Farías get ready to move with members of Prime Example Performing Arts; the Ridgewood Y bustles with activity.