“...in diversity there is beauty

and there is strength.”

— Maya AngelouMember News is an official publication of YMCA of the USA, produced monthly for the 22 million members of the nation’s 2,700 YMCAs. YMCA and the YMCA logo are registered trademarks of YMCA of the USA. Opinions expressed are not necessarily the views of any YMCA or YMCA of the USA, and the appearance of any advertisement for a product or service does not constitute an endorsement by YMCA of the USA. For questions about programs and events at your Y, please ask your front-desk staff. Questions or comments about Member News? Email omoiye.kinney@ymca.net, YMCA of the USA, 101 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606. © Copyright National Council of Young Men’s Christian Association of the United States of America, 2015.

MISSION IN ACTIONCELEBRATING DIVERSE ABILITIESThe most recent U.S. Census Bureau statistics revealed that nearly 1 in 5 people in the U.S. self-identify as having a disability. The broad spectrum of diverse abilities—physical, cognitive/learning and developmental—are represented by people in all communities.

At the Y, we believe that our communities are stronger when everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive, and contribute to the greater good. In fact, “for all” is included in our mission statement. As a cause-driven organization, the Y strives to break down barriers and provide accessible, inclusive spaces for all individuals. This means working to ensure that people of all abilities can enjoy both physical access to our facilities and full social inclusion in Y programs and activities.

The Hockomock Area YMCA’s (Massachusetts) Integration Initiative enables individuals of all abilities to participate in activities together. At its New Horizons Camp, each summer more than 100 campers with diverse abilities receive the additional support they need—such as a smaller ratio of campers to staff—to enjoy a fully inclusive camp experience.

“New Horizons campers are fully integrated into our traditional day camp and are part of a group of their typically developing peers, sharing the same camp experiences,” says Karen Friedman, Senior Director of the Hockomock Y’s Integration Initiative.

“ New Horizons helps each camper establish positive relationships, build social skills and be fully integrated no matter their ability.”

The Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA launched an Ability Initiative in an effort to recognize people for their abilities rather than their disabilities. The Y’s Ambler Area branch places young people of diverse abilities in volunteer roles so they can develop skills to help them compete in the job market. Some of the program participants are eventually hired on as paid Y staff and are matched with responsibilities that fit their strengths, conditions and interests.

“Our employees represent a variety of abilities, ages, ethnicities, races and religions,” says Cait Waxler, Advanced Director of Ability Programs at the Ambler Area YMCA.

“ A culture has been created that sees beyond diagnosis and disability and embraces employees who work hard and produce quality results.”

See how Y members, staff and volunteers of all abilities strengthen their communities on the YMCA YouTube channel, youtube.com/ymca.

RECLAIMING HEALTHOne such program, LIVESTRONG® at the YMCA, a small-group program developed and established in partnership with the LIVESTRONG® Foundation, assists cancer survivors in strengthening spirit, mind and body after a cancer diagnosis. Recent research from the Yale Cancer Center and Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Institute confirmed that LIVESTRONG at the

HERE ARE A FEW IDEAS TO GET STARTED: MAKE MATH FUN! When children are preschool-age, begin playing with piggy banks and asking them to count out change. Encourage them to spend their money in a vending machine or a dollar store, and keep track of what’s left.

BUILD ENGINEERING CHALLENGES WITH HOUSEHOLD ITEMS. Use handy supplies like cardboard, tape, straws, spaghetti, marshmallows, index cards or pennies to jumpstart an engineering challenge. Ask your child to build a bridge, a ramp or the tallest structure they can attempt. Encourage critical thinking skills by asking questions like: What do you think would happen if…? What do you think you might do differently next time?

COOK TOGETHER IN THE KITCHEN. What makes bread rise? What are the factors that impact success? It’s important to encourage children’s natural curiosity. Invite them to help you in the kitchen where they can explore, question and investigate. Support math skills by asking: What measurements would be required to make one loaf of bread instead of two?

CREATE AN OUTDOOR SCAVENGER HUNT. No matter where you live, there is an interesting world outside your door. Give each child an envelope with a challenge such as, “Find five different types of leaves,” and have them place the leaves in the envelope. Have your children bring back their discoveries and talk about what they observed.

To learn more about how the Y prepares youth for success, visit ymca.net/youth-development.

The Y nurtures the potential of every child by ensuring all young people have access to a full range of career ambitions and personal hobbies.

Through youth development programs such as Afterschool and Early Learning Readiness, the Y seeks to provide underrepresented youth across the country with support, encouragement and resources to improve their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) skills year-round. Parents and caregivers can inspire girls and boys by bringing fun STEM activities into the home.

BRINGING STEM HOME

As a leading national nonprofit with a community-based network for improving America’s health, the Y helps families and individuals living with and recovering from chronic disease reclaim their health with evidence-based programs and supportive peer communities.

YMCA participants experience better quality of life and significant decreases in cancer-related fatigue. If you or someone you know lives with a chronic disease, ask your Y staff about programs like LIVESTRONG at the YMCA that help improve quality of life and enable individuals to connect with others in a supportive environment.

In addition, here are some healthy living tips from the LIVESTRONG Foundation that can help cancer survivors heal and everyone lower their risks for future illnesses such as cancers and heart disease:

DEVELOP A PLAN: Work with your health care team to create a healthy lifestyle plan. Consider your entire medical history. Include any health goals you have set for yourself. Make sure you address any concerns you have such as weakness, fatigue, loss of balance, weight loss or weight gain, or problems sleeping. GET ACTIVE: Incorporate physical activity into your healthy lifestyle. Walking, running and cycling build cardiovascular endurance, but gardening, outdoor work, dancing and other activities you enjoy also can contribute to a healthy lifestyle. REDUCE STRESS: Attending support groups and counseling can help you deal with stress. In addition, there are also many health benefits when you spend time doing things you enjoy. Write in a journal. Listen to music. Take a new music or art class. EAT HEALTHY: Eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Include plenty of fiber in your diet. Drink eight to 10 glasses of water a day and avoid eating a lot of red meat or processed meats such as bacon, sausage or hotdogs. To learn more about how the Y helps individuals improve health outcomes, visit ymca.net/healthy-living.

Photo courtesy: Ambler Area YMCA

©Thinkstock/Jupiterimages

“ No matter how high the bar, or basket, and no matter how much you think you can't, you usually can if you try. It's even more achievable if you have people around you to coach and teach and encourage you.”

— Sammy, age 12 Participant in the

Ambler Area YMCA’s Ability Teen Programs

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MEMBER NEWS ymca.net

OCTOBER 2015