YMCA of the USA and the Annie E. Casey Foundation Recognize Five Ys for Family Strengthening Achievement

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Sep 14, 2010, 09:49 ET

Award program recognizes initiatives designed to improve the lives of vulnerable children and families

CHICAGO, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) has awarded five Ys with the 2010 YMCA–Annie E. Casey Foundation Families Count Family Strengthening Award in recognition of their exemplary work to strengthen and support families in their communities. The selected Ys will receive a monetary award to enhance their family strengthening initiatives and will serve as models for Ys across the United States.

"Our shared commitment with the Annie E. Casey Foundation to build brighter futures for underserved children and families is stronger than ever," said Neil Nicoll, President and CEO of Y-USA. "Since 2006, Y-USA, with the support of the Foundation, has recognized Ys for exceptional family strengthening work, and this support has been important to expanding the impact we make in communities nationwide through programs designed to empower families to make changes, bridge gaps and overcome obstacles."

This year awards were given in two distinct categories: Excellence Awards and Inspiration Awards.

Excellence Awards were given to three YMCAs offering innovative and proven family strengthening programming that can serve as a model for Ys across the country. Each recipient was awarded $15,000 to enhance and strengthen these efforts.

Racine Family YMCA (Racine, WI)

The Racine Family YMCA began its Focus on Fathers (FoF) program in 2007, after learning that 75 percent of community households were headed by a single parent, most often the mother. The goal of the program is to nurture a healthier father-child relationship by addressing parenting challenges for dads no longer living with their children. FoF focuses its work on neighborhoods with high concentrations of poverty and/or high rates of juvenile crime, alcohol and drug use. Trained Y staff meets with groups of fathers for a 13-class session. In addition, fathers are provided opportunities to meet at home, school or community sites to share and learn from one another. Success is measured by the amount of time father and child spend together and the father's attendance and/or participation at community events and activities, such as visiting the Y.

Valley of the Sun YMCA (Phoenix, AZ)

Play for Life is a wellness, fitness and nutrition program developed for school-aged youth and their families by health care and Y professionals. It began in 2008 at the Maryville Y, located in a community where nearly 40 percent of youth do not complete high school and 17 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Multi-generational families are introduced to proper nutrition, healthy eating habits and exercise to encourage them to live healthy, active lives together. A survey conducted during the pilot phase of the program showed that more than half of the families participating did not fully understand the benefits of nutritious cooking and eating or what constituted proper exercising. By the end of the program, 95 percent of the families had embraced the importance of nutrition, proper eating habits and exercise and were practicing healthier lifestyles.

Old Colony YMCA (Brockton, MA)

When staff at the Old Colony YMCA learned that families were the fastest growing population of homeless people in the Boston area, helping these families became a priority. In August 2003, the Y opened its Family Life Center (FLC) through a collaborative effort among 16 nonprofit, state and federal agencies to empower and strengthen families threatened by potential separation and/or homelessness. The FLC provides housing and family support services for up to 13 families at a time, averaging 26 families and 100 children each year. Since it opened, 90 percent of families served have reached their identified educational/vocational goals; 75 percent have achieved family self sufficiency; and 100 percent of the children have demonstrated an increase in developmental assets, based on pre- and post-stay surveys.

Inspiration Awards were presented to two YMCAs showing potential in family strengthening initiatives to provide them with additional resources to further develop and expand their programs. Each received $7,500.

YMCA of Greater Richmond (Richmond, VA)

The North Richmond YMCA Community Center of the YMCA of Greater Richmond successfully engages children, teachers and volunteers in reading activities through the Seeds of Literacy initiative. Since its inception in 2006, the program has served more than 650 at-risk youth (preschoolers through third grade) and their families, providing tools, resources and support for children and their caregivers to become lifelong learners through literacy. Workshops for children and families; home literacy enrichment materials; field trips; parenting classes; family recreational opportunities; and mentoring, volunteer and tutoring times are all integral elements of the program.

Prairie Valley YMCA (Elgin, IL)

The Prairie Valley YMCA started the Family Engagement Program (FEP) in 2007 as part of an effort to reach out to and engage the growing number of Hispanic/Latino newcomers in Elgin. Though a partnership with a local elementary school, the Y helped families become more engaged with the school, the Y and the larger community through a Parent Advisory Group, family nights and other activities. The program has led to a strengthened relationship among the school district, the Y and many Hispanic/Latino families throughout the community. The FEP is improving literacy, enhancing English skills, providing access to and teaching computer skills, helping children succeed in the classroom and empowering families by providing new opportunities for success.

Award recipients were selected through a competitive application process among Ys nationwide that serve vulnerable families and provide intentional family services that make a positive difference in their lives. Each exemplifies the Y's commitment to bring about lasting personal and social change by nurturing the potential of every child and teen, improving the nation's health and well-being and providing opportunities to give back and support neighbors.

"The FAMILIES COUNT Family Strengthening Awards recognize organizations that work to give vulnerable children what they need most – strong, capable and economically successful families," said Bonnie Howard, director of Organization Learning and Influence at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. "The Ys selected this year truly make a difference in their communities. Their outstanding work opens doors to real opportunities for the families they serve."

ABOUT THE ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION: Since 1948, the Annie E. Casey Foundation has worked to build better futures for disadvantaged children and their families in the United States. The primary mission of the Foundation is to foster public policies, human service reforms and community supports that more effectively meet the needs of today's vulnerable children and families. The YMCA-Annie E. Casey Foundation FAMILIES COUNT Family Strengthening Awards program recognizes YMCAs whose programs support the development of strong, capable and economically successful families. Award recipients are recognized for their outstanding efforts and serve as role models for other Y family strengthening programs throughout the United States.

ABOUT YMCA OF THE USA: YMCA of the USA is the national resource office for the Y, one of the nation's leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,687 Ys engage 21 million men, women and children – regardless of age, income or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation's health and well-being and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. YMCA of the USA is a member of the World Alliance of YMCAs. ymca.net