Outreach

Changing lives... one child, one teenager, one family at a time.

Through outreach programs for children and families, YMCAs throughout the First Coast address critical needs of the communities that they serve. Outreach to the Northeast Florida community is another crucial piece of our mission. By working with area schools, nonprofit agencies, and other community partners, outreach programs are able to extend the scope of the YMCA far beyond the walls of our facilities.

Please visit the individual branch web pages in order to witness the positive impact of outreach programs on our community:

• Baker YMCA provides youth service programs that target healthy choices and avoid teen risk factors such as substance abuse, premarital sex, juvenile crime, and other risk taking behaviors.
• Baker County Florida is affected by higher rates of risk factors affecting teens including teen births, STD’s, and substance abuse.
• Studies have shown that youth who participate in after school activities are less likely to become sexually active (Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy).
• Teen center programs include daily activities in Macclenny and Sanderson, Outspokn club meetings, and monthly special events.  The teen center offers fun programs that include character development, service projects, substance abuse and abstinence education, as well as personal goal setting and monitoring. 

• 38 at-risk students receive tutoring and life skills instructions in a facility near the Yates Family YMCA. The youth are not charged a fee to participate.
• Over 150 students per week from some of the most violent and crime-ridden neighborhoods in Jacksonville participate in character development classes at their school and are mentored by local members of the business community.

• Over 35 students, in grades 2nd through 5th, receive Mentoring on a weekly basis from a corporate volunteer in the Downtown area.
• Over 50 students, in various grades, receive Team Tutoring on a weekly basis in the areas of Math and Reading
• Over 300 students per week, from some of the most violent and crime-ridden neighborhoods in Jacksonville, participate in character development classes at this school from an on site YMCA Outreach Director.
• These programs are all free to the students of John E. Ford K – 8 School
• Volunteers are always needed and information can be received by calling the YMCA at the Bank of America Tower at (904) 356-9622

• 175 children participate in preschool or after school child care.
• Financial Assistance for youth programs: $101,263
• 100 refugee students, from 32 countries are enrolled in English for Speakers of Other Languages mission program.
• Financial Assistance for the ESOL Program: $6,200

• The program unites local professional African Americans and other minority leaders with young African American and other minority students in the community.
• 179 young adults are being mentored and encouraged by adult leaders to maintain higher educational and career goals through the Black/Minority Achievers Program.

• The Williams Family YMCA, Jessie Ball duPont campus and the Arlington Family YMCA are providing the YMCA Reads! Program to kindergarten though third grade students at the Jessie Ball duPont campus at Kings Trail and Parkwood Heights Elementary.
• YMCA Reads! provides instruction with trained volunteers who use the SIPPS and After School Kids Lit curricula.
• Volunteers provide instruction with a ratio of no more than 2 student to 1 volunteer mentor.
• For more information, visit www.volunteerfloridafoundation.org.

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For more information please email: SharetheY@firstcoastymca.org.

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2008 Campaign

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