On Monday, June 8, the Y will launch its Summer Food Drive to benefit local children and their families. Through Aug. 1, the Y is accepting donations of non-perishable, nutritious, family-friendly food items to benefit The River Community Church Food Pantry. Donations can be dropped off at the Ventura Family YMCA, 3760 Telegraph Road, Ventura, CA.

Nationwide, more than 30 million children in low-income families receive meals during the school year, but only 2.3 million of them continue to receive free meals during the summer break. In Ventura, 66% of students qualify for free or reduced-cost meals, so initiatives like the Ventura Family YMCA’s Summer Meal Program and Summer Food Drive ensure that children throughout Ventura continue to receive the nutrition they need to be healthy, active and well-nourished over the summer.

The Y is also proud to continue its annual partnership with the Ventura Unified School District as a lunch site for the Summer Meal Program. From June 15 to August 14, Monday through Friday, children 18 years or younger can visit the Y from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to receive a free nutritious lunch provided by the VUSD. Children must remain on site to eat.

For more information on the Ventura Family YMCA Summer Food Drive or Summer Meal Program, please contact Support Services and Development Director, Brie Frank, at brie.frank@ciymca.org or call the Y at 805.642.2131.

Concerned about the health and achievement gaps many children face, particularly during the summer, the Y – a leading nonprofit in youth development – is launching a national campaign, Hop the Gap (www.hopthegap.org), to bring more awareness to the issue and how the Y can help. Locally, the Ventura Family YMCA help kids hop the gap through summer camps, day camps, swimming classes, youth sports, Kid’s Cardio Club, Adventure Guides, 3rd Grade Learn to Swim, Operation Ventura, and family programs such as the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson on June 18, 2015. Please visit ciymca.org/ventura for more details.

About the Y
The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The Ventura Family YMCA serves over 20,000 individuals annually through facility memberships, before & after school childcare, day & resident camps, youth sports, swim lessons, teen programs, and many more healthy lifestyles and community enriching programs which nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Through its’ Open Doors program, the Y ensures that no one is ever turned away due to their inability to pay and facility memberships without contracts or join fees makes the Y accessible to all. The Ventura Family YMCA is located at 3760 Telegraph Rd., Ventura, CA 93003. Log on to www.ciymca.org/ventura. Learn more about Hop the Gap at www.hopthegap.org.