News from the YMCA of Pawtucket |
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Helping Those in Need – The Y Emergency Food Program |
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Since the onslaught of the pandemic in March, the YMCA of Pawtucket has been supplying food and critical supplies to children and families throughout the communities we serve – in Pawtucket/Central Falls, Woonsocket and now at MacColl as well.
Early on, the Y was not only supporting the school system by providing Grab n’ Go meals, but also offering food pantry deliveries to people at home. When our most vulnerable members of the community were fearful to venture out to grocery stores, the Y answered the call and delivered food to those in need - particularly seniors.
Today, the Y has continued with this important community service at our branches. At the Family Y, they have partnered with the RI Food Bank to offer family meal boxes both for Grab n’ Go and delivery. The Woonsocket Y has started a weekend food backpack program for children in their school age programs. The backpacks contain nutritious food to sustain a family throughout the weekend. MacColl Y now serves breakfast and lunch to our Distance Learners, and MacColl has also partnered with home health aides to deliver meal boxes to housebound seniors.
We have been fortunate to support this important work through a grant from Pawtucket’s Community Development Block Grant program, Y-USA, and No Kid Hungry.
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Swing For Kids Annual Golf Outing |
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Earlier this fall, we were fortunate to host a safe, socially distanced golf outing to raise much-needed funds to support our work with children and families in the communities we serve. Due to the tremendous support of our sponsors, foursomes and generous auction and raffle donors, the Y raised $20,000. We are grateful to Pawtucket Country Club for making it possible to safely welcome our supporters for an enjoyable day of golf and fundraising for the Y. Thank you! |
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Answering the Call - BEAT COVID-19 Initiative |
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The Y is a proud partner in the BEAT COVID-19 Initiative launched by the City of Pawtucket and LISC (Local Initiative Support Corporation). The goal of this program is to get the word out to Pawtucket and Central Falls community members regarding support that is available to address the various impacts of COVID. This initiative includes a BEAT COVID-19 hotline and a public awareness video in English, Spanish, and Cape Verdean Creole that explains the resources available to community members.
The BEAT COVID-19 Initiative is a one-of-a-kind, grassroots program to provide residents of Pawtucket and Central Falls, who otherwise might not feel comfortable getting tested, access to a primary care doctor, testing, educational support on how to safely isolate, and resources to overcome hardships associated with the coronavirus pandemic.
Specifically, the role of the YMCA of Pawtucket has been to hire, train and deploy community workers to visit neighborhood events and social gatherings to distribute information and masks. This effort is coordinated by Y exempt staff with a strategic work plan designed to bring the incidence of COVID-19 down to or below statewide levels. We thank our dedicated, compassionate staff members for their help with this initiative.
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Swim Teams Provide Healthy Outlet for Kids |
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Swimming has always been at the heart of what makes the YMCA so special, and our swim teams play an important role in furthering critical swim skills. Joining a swim team provides children and teens with many health benefits that are incredibly rewarding. It offers them the chance to be part of a team, build camaraderie, improve skills, participate in physical activity, set and strive for goals, and most importantly, have fun!
Pools are naturally one of the safest, germ-free options for exercise and are licensed by the Department of Health. In these challenging times, swim teams provide a versatile training environment that allows children to get in the best shape of their lives while enjoying much-needed social interaction. At present, we have 150 swimmers who will be competing in virtual swim meets this fall. Best of luck to all our team members!
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Active Older Adults in Action! |
Our Y’s are proving that it is possible to physically distance while maintaining social connections – And that can best be seen through our Active Older Adult classes.
The Y is working hard to ensure the safety and good health of our senior members. In addition to virtual options that bring the Y right into our seniors’ homes, each pool is now hosting aqua fitness classes. These classes have proven to be extremely popular, and our pools are constantly full of happy, active older adults talking, singing, and exercising while maintaining six feet of distance. We also have started Cardio Latin Beat, Zumba Gold and Functional Fitness for our seniors. At the MacColl Y, the hours of 12pm - 3pm are reserved exclusively for seniors or anyone who is immunocompromised.
At the Y, we remain committed to providing a safe and healthy environment to help all members reach their wellness goals.
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Please Consider Supporting Our Year End Giving Campaign |
Now more than ever, the Y needs your support to continue providing the high-quality services and programs we offer to the community. These programs include childcare, out-of-school time programs, adult recreation, and wellness and fitness offerings. Due to the pandemic, we are also being called upon to support children and families in ways that stretch our staff and resources. Your donation helps us to provide food, necessities, technology support and community safety to those that need it most.
This holiday season, many more families will find themselves struggling to make ends meet, and the Y stands ready to answer the call. We thank you for considering a year-end contribution that will help to ensure the Y can continue to support our neighbors in need.
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Adopt-A-Y Family This Holiday Season |
The holiday season is upon us, and our Y is once again displaying Giving Trees in the lobbies of the Y branches. We urge you to consider adopting a Y family this year to help make the holidays brighter for a local family. Many of the families we serve are struggling due to the pandemic and need your help now more than ever. We thank you in advance for your support. |
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MacColl YMCA
32 Breakneck Hill Road
Lincoln, Rhode Island
(401) 725-0773
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Pawtucket Family YMCA
20 Summer Street
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
(401) 727-7900
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Woonsocket YMCA
18 Federal Street
Woonsocket, Rhode Island
(401) 769-0791
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Four Corners YMCA
160 Bear Hill Road
Cumberland, Rhode Island
(401) 333-6402
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Heritage Park YMCA
333 Roosevelt Avenue
Pawtucket, RI 02860
(401) 727-7050
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Westwood YMCA
2093 Harkney Hill Road
Coventry, RI 02816
(401) 397-7779
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