Young Men'S Christian Association

“Prior to filing form 990 ceo will disperse the form electronically to board members.”

“The board of directors reviews the organization's conflict of interest policy annually in order to insure that the organization's board of directors, officers, and employees are regularly and consistently monitoring and enforcing it. We have not encountered any incidences of conflict of interest.”

“The organization utilizes the services of a human resource consultant who gathers information from other comparable organizations and data provided by ymca. The information is then reported to the executive committee and benchmarks are compared in order to determine the appropriate compensation. This process is completed annually and was done in calendar 2023.”

“Forms are available for public inspection upon request”

“Other Program Revenue - Total Revenue: 2421603, Related or Exempt Function Revenue: 2421603, Unrelated Business Revenue: , Revenue Excluded from Tax Under Sections 512, 513, or 514: ; Residence Revenue - Total Revenue: 0, Related or Exempt Function Revenue: 0, Unrelated Business Revenue: , Revenue Excluded from Tax Under Sections 512, 513, or 514: ;”

“Adjust to agree - Total Revenue: 0, Related or Exempt Function Revenue: 0, Unrelated Business Revenue: , Revenue Excluded from Tax Under Sections 512, 513, or 514: ;”

“Forms are available for public inspection upon request”

“City of Worcester Aquatics Program”

“(Expenses $ including grants of $)(Revenue $ 351,523) Other Program Service transactions”

“Mission statement: the ymca of central massachusetts is an association united in a common goal to strengthen our communities and to develop the spirit, mind, and body of all persons, regardless of means, through activities guided by and based upon our core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.”

“Cause statement: the ymca of central massachusetts will strengthen the foundations of community through programs and services that support youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.”

“Diversity and inclusion vision statement: the ymca of central massachusetts will nurture and support an environment that reflects, respects, and celebrates our differences, and embraces the richness of our diversity.”

“Strategic advantage: the ymca of central massachusetts successfully impacts families and individuals by fostering a sense of belonging to a movement that continually evolves to meet the relevant needs of our community.”

“Organization description: the ymca of central ma is an association united in a common goal to strengthen our communities and to develop the spirit, mind and body of all persons, regardless of means, through activities guided by and based upon our core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. No other community-based, non-profit organization in central massachusetts has the geographic reach or the breadth of programs and services that encompass youth development, healthy living and social responsibility as the ymca. Our six branches support over 35,000 members across nearly 70 cities and towns in the heart of the commonwealth. Collaboration with more than 100 other partners extends our reach to nearly 50,000 individuals annually. We also deliver programs at offsite sites in other locations, along with our three rural summer day camps. In 2011, we were honored to join a group of only 50 ys to become a diversity, inclusion and global innovation y. Ymcas with this distinction focus on responding to and serving diverse and changing regions and populations in order to best strengthen communities. Our strategy fosters understanding of and connection to the global reality influencing local cities and towns, addresses demographic changes, develops programs/services to meet the needs of diverse, underserved communities and positions us as a leading global human-service organization. We have introduced dynamic programs to meet the needs of diverse populations we serve, such as global sports and female-only classes to accommodate muslim women. To maintain high levels of financial assistance and program subsidies to ensure access to these program and services for all, y staff and volunteers executed a successful annual campaign last year, raising over $1.3 million.”

“Ymca history: the ymca of central massachusetts has been impacting children, teens, families, and adults for 160 years. When our y began in 1864, it operated out of one rented room on the second floor of the iconic mechanics hall in downtown worcester - one of the first landmarks in the city. Today, our y has evolved from serving one gender and one religion to proudly serving all people. We have become one of the region's most impactful non-profit organizations. Thanks to our deep roots in the community, our y continues to be uniquely positioned to address the ever-changing needs of those we serve. While our health and fitness resources help our members become their best selves, our impact reaches far beyond our wellness centers. Both inside and outside the walls of our y, we deliver impactful programming to those who need us most. In 1920, the flagship central community branch opened its doors in downtown worcester's main south neighborhood. Due to the socioeconomic demographics of this part of the city, the central branch functions as a safe haven for the residents of the area, including the teen achievement center and family locker room. Many low-income members from the neighborhoods we serve qualify for free or reduced membership and programs. The greendale family branch was established in 1929, thanks to norton company's (now saint-gobain's) generous donation of facilities. The boroughs family branch opened in 2002, but our y first reached this underserved region starting in 1983. With no dedicated branch location, we offered only limited programming. Now, the boroughs family branch is a thriving y location positively impacting multiple communities. The next addition to the umbrella of the ymca of central massachusetts, the montachusett regional y in fitchburg, was founded in 1887 by a group of community leaders who recognized the importance of the worldwide ymca movement. Throughout this branch's history, it has strived to improve the y experience for residents of northern central massachusetts with expansions, such as the 1957 purchase of camp lowe in nearby lancaster, ma. Since becoming part of our y in 2012, the montachusett community branch (mcb) has enabled us to continue fulfilling our cause of strengthening the foundations of community. Fitchburg is a key location for many y members who live and work outside the area of worcester because they no longer have to make the stressful commute into the city to receive our y's services. The combined entity resulted in the opening of the leominster community branch. The y has had the opportunity to deepen its impact beyond its previous boundaries. The state-of-the-art facility is helping to revitalize a downtown neighborhood while acting as a resource for a diverse range of people, including a network of homeschool families, local girl scout troops, and professional athletes. Now, many of our association-wide programs have expanded to this new location. Our cancer survivor initiative, livestrong at the ymca, is an example of critical programming which is reaching underserved audiences in leominster and the surrounding towns. In 2018, the ymca of central massachusetts and tri-community ymca deemed it desirable and in the best interest of each respective corporation and their members to merge. This new combined entity resulted in the expansion of child development programs and enhancement of wellness programs in southbridge and charlton, and has created deep community impact in south central massachusetts.”

“Our promise: thanks to the diversity and dedication of our volunteers, mission partners and staff, our y continues to meet community need while fulfilling our commitment to nurturing the potential of youth, promoting healthy living and building a sense of social responsibility. We are dedicated to the wellbeing of our children, our health and our neighbors. Only by working together can we address the ever-changing needs of those we serve. With this in mind, at the y, our cause is strengthening communities. Every day, we work side-by-side with community partners to ensure everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has the tools to become their best selves.”

“Our impact: each of our six branches has a unique blend of programming, some part of association-wide endeavors and some distinct to the branch, which meets the specific needs of the cities and towns surrounding the respective location. We are proud to continue providing relevant and engaging programming. Our members and others who rely on us specifically seek out initiatives which offer safe environments for children and families and which address chronic health issues, such as cancer, diabetes and obesity. With our support, everyone who turns to the y can achieve their personal best. For the most effective program approaches, we have grouped our programs and services into three areas of focus: youth development-nurturing the potential of every child at our y, children and teens are a priority because we know the future is in the hands of the youngest generation. Our initiatives set a foundation focused on education, a balanced lifestyle and responsibility to the community. Each program engages mentors to serve as role models for youth, demonstrating all they can aspire to be. Staff and volunteers serve as role models for our youngest program participants to build confidence and practical skills they can utilize in school and beyond.”

“We are proud to provide a summary of some of our key services delivered in 2024 to the nearly 70 cities and towns in central massachusetts: early childhood education our early childhood education program is a place where learning is fun and exciting. It strengthens the holistic development of infants, toddlers, young children, and their families by supporting early literacy, the development of healthy habits, and strong parenting skills. Our program provides early learning readiness experiences to prepare them for entering the education system. We also feature nutritional-based activities when age-appropriate, such as food group sorting and healthy food collages, along with fruit and vegetable color organization. Furthermore, opportunities for family involvement and events are highlighted throughout the year, with a focus on nutritionally optimum diets and physical play. Out-of-school-time programs this association-wide initiative fosters and develops physical, intellectual, emotional, and social skills in children from kindergarten to sixth grade, serving more than 650 children daily. Our staff understands that to meet the constantly changing and expanding needs of youth, it is essential to be flexible and adaptive. When children first arrive at the after-school program, they have the opportunity to unwind with quiet activities. Immediately following quiet playtime is a healthy snack. Next, they are encouraged to work independently during homework/learning time with the support of the y staff. Finally, children engage in activity time, filled with fun and engaging activities. Despite the established schedule, we intentionally vary the program's routine to encourage students to become well-rounded and flexible. To instill healthy habits in the youth we serve, active play or team sports are incorporated into the activity time once a week, as well as nutritional education. Our staff act as role models, demonstrating the importance of healthy and active lifestyles. Out-of-school time offers a balanced and adult-supervised environment. Children flourish in the structured setting we provide them, as outlined by well-established school-age care curriculum frameworks. Parents can rest assured knowing that their children are in a safe and secure environment where their well-being is our top priority. The core content areas are arts & humanities, character development, health, wellness and fitness, literacy, science and technology, service-learning, and social competence and conflict resolution. Our main goal is to keep youth engaged in learning while having fun. The afterschool experience is crafted to complement school learning practices, support diverse learning styles, and encourage the development of the whole child in spirit, mind, and body to ensure academic and social success for the children we support. The program's services are a welcomed relief to many working parents who previously struggled to arrange transportation to quality childcare - leaving their children potentially unsupervised and at risk of destructive decisions. The y offers parents in our communities access to affordable after-school programming for their children, which supplements the education they receive at school and encourages healthy choices. An addition to the out-of-school agenda includes the integration of mental health specialists into programming at our worcester and fitchburg locations. These part-time specialists provide one-on-one support to children, as well as train and model effective strategies for staff. In a very short period, we have seen promising data that reinforces the need for this added layer of assistance for children and our staff. We will continue to seek funding to deepen the impact and expand these services. The y has incorporated afterschool by the numbers at our central community and greendale family branches in worcester. This mathematics literacy program provides an experienced math teacher to deliver a high-quality curric”

“Achievers program the achievers program is a no-cost program designed to empower teens to create the next generation of leaders, targeting middle and high school students. Program strategy helps youth develop skills to succeed in high school and matriculate to college while inspiring them with a sense of social responsibility and healthy living. Thanks to our dedicated mission partners, including local colleges and youth service agencies, achievers provides academic and college readiness to ensure participants' access to college as well as a myriad of learning opportunities from experienced adult role models in their fields of interest. The achievers program serves teens across worcester county at our main branch locations. This initiative focuses on three central pillars: college preparation programming, adult mentorship, and career cluster workshops to best prepare students for future success. Youth and government this valuable endeavor is a mock legislative program that prepares vulnerable youth for a variety of careers by building skills, including leadership and public speaking, to be demonstrated at meetings and presentations with their peers. The program curriculum includes participants preparing briefs and conducting mock trials based on current issues with one another, as well as visiting local representatives at the state house. Teens from our boroughs family and central community branch participated in 2024. Healthy living the y is dedicated to giving all people, regardless of age, ability, or socioeconomic status, the resources to develop and maintain healthy habits. We are proud to be a catalyst in supporting individuals and families in their pursuit of a healthy lifestyle. Our y strives to set a high bar for wellness standards -- not just meet them. Our programming is driven by staff, volunteers, and mission partners and is member-focused. We provide ongoing support, guidance, and resources designed to aid individuals in achieving greater health and well-being. At a branch level, national resources and technical assistance have translated into program innovation and improvement relating to our youth wellness initiative. We utilize dr. Yum's preschool food adventure, a unique preschool cooking and nutrition curriculum, at preschool sites in our association. Created by a team of experts, including a pediatrian, a speech-language pathologist, a registered dietician, early childhood educators, and parents, this program has demonstrated improvements in children in nine key areas regarding picky eaters and willingness to explore new foods. This 24-lesson curriculum is fun, engaging, and educational as we strive to build skills and demonstrate the value of healthy living. Examples of innovative healthy living initiatives include livestrong at the ymca our y has proudly hosted livestrong at the ymca since 2011. We are privileged to be amongst the ranks of over 400 ymcas across the nation who offer this program. Our initiative is instrumental in helping people affected by cancer reach their holistic health goals. We help survivors and their caregivers build a network of support, composed of everyone from y staff to peers in the community, to improve their well-being in body, mind, and spirit. To date, we have served over 2,000 survivors, along with many more family members and loved ones. Livestrong at the y is available to any adult over the age of 18 who has completed or is undergoing cancer treatment. Y staff and volunteers perform an extensive intake process, including communication with potential participants' physicians. To reach more people in need, our y partners with valuable community leaders, such as saint vincent hospital and dana-farber cancer institute, to help inform potential participants about the benefits of the program. Our y is proud to foster relationships in our region with prestigious medical institutions such as these, who share our commitment to support vulnerable members of our communities compas”

“Social responsibility our y is proud to give back and provide support to our neighbors through a variety of teen and community-based initiatives. Several examples include: spartacus spartacus is a vital program for teens, designed to build positive skills for court-involved youth while connecting them with adult role models. This initiative strives to instill a sense of social responsibility by encouraging participants to make their neighborhoods safer for everyone and demonstrating the merits of choosing a more positive course in life. Spartacus works with at-risk teens at the montachusett community branch. The program operates during the academic school year. It engages participants through adventure-based activities, boot-camp-style workouts, academic tutoring, community service, leadership development, anger management counseling, and substance abuse assistance. Youth are presented with challenges and empowered with the knowledge and confidence to implement creative solutions. These skills help teens build a bright future for themselves. Leaders clubs a tried and true national ymca initiative, leaders clubs throughout the region are developing future leaders. Adapted to the strengths of each of our branches, this youth development program provides education, hands-on learning, social and recreational activities, as well as opportunities for service learning in the community. For many of our branches, this is the core of teen engagement and has some of our greatest retention. Teens are working with mentors, building real-life skills, and using them to improve their communities. All branches throughout the region have active clubs. Internship academy operating out of the greendale family branch, the y's internship academy is a workforce development program that connects teens to internship opportunities at the branch to offer them valuable early work experience. In collaboration with worcester public schools, teens are assigned positions within five core workforce areas, including customer service, maintenance/janitorial, youth instruction, child care, and fitness/personal wellness - each requiring different responsibilities and developing unique skillsets for the individual. This program saw interns shadowing experienced ymca staff within each field, as well as participating in weekly group training around core subjects like resume and cover letter writing, workplace performance, and professionalism. City of worcester aquatics collaboration in april, the city awarded the ymca the aquatic facilities staffing of public pools and beaches proposal. The y provided well-trained staff, free swim lessons and new recreational opportunities, such as paddle boarding, that enriched the community. Nearly 90 staff members oversaw the daily operations of crompton pool, bell park pond, coes pond, shore park, and indian lake beach. Ymca staff from these locations welcomed residents daily for eight weeks in july and august, recording over 35,000 visits. Engaging a neighborhood - engaging a community the ymca is proud of its involvement in many neighborhood community events that promote our social responsibility focus area. We hold several local neighborhood initiatives, including safety around water, and engage volunteers from the communities we serve for several programs. Safety around water serves children from low-income households and provides them with water-safety skills to prevent their potential risk of drowning. Our y continues to play an active role in our community and employs our partners across central massachusetts to remain engaged in nearly 70 cities and towns. Global relations and community engagement as a community-based organization, it is important that the ymca of central massachusetts focus on creating welcoming environments where everyone feels a sense of belonging and where all can thrive. For over 15 years, we have engaged our communities to help serve everyone and respond to local and global issues that impact all c”