GOAL TO RAISE $115,000 - Annual Campaign for Youth Helps Kids and Families in Need
The Ventura Family YMCA, a charitable organization serving Ventura, Oxnard, Ojai and Santa Paula, has announced the kick-off of its 2010 Campaign for Youth, a fundraising effort to increase support for financial assistance and subsidize YMCA programs. Proceeds from the YMCA Campaign for Youth helps meet the growing needs of our community by providing financial assistance for individuals and families who need YMCA programs but may not otherwise be able to afford them.
The financial assistance program allows children and families to benefit from family strengthening YMCA programs such as child care, day camp and programs for at-risk youth. Subsidizing programs allows the YMCA to reduce program fees, making programs more accessible to our community.
The YMCA offers kids and families the chance to make positive choices: quality child care opportunities mean parents can work to improve their quality of life; youth sports programs give kids the chance to belong to a team devoted to making a positive difference; and healthy lifestyle programs give everyone in the family the chance to lead healthier, more productive lives.
The 2009 Campaign for Youth raised $118,405 but the need was far greater. Turning no one away due to their inability to pay, the Ventura Family YMCA still managed to award more than $300,000 in scholarships subsidizing over 300 individuals and families each month.
“As the economy started to take a turn we had more individuals and families relying on the YMCA to ensure that their health and well being was not sacrificed and that their children could still participate in life enriching programs”, explains Margo Byrne, the Executive Director of the Ventura Family YMCA.
“That’s why this campaign is so important for our YMCA. Given the increased financial difficulties that many of our community members face, it’s more important now than ever that this year’s campaign is a success and we hope that those who are in position to help others will do so by supporting Campaign for Youth and the YMCA Open Doors Program. We see parents struggling with the decision of eliminating important opportunities for their family in order to pay their mortgage. The money raised from this campaign ensures that that never has to happen.”
This year the YMCA is looking for volunteers and donors to help increase their Open Doors program funding for 2010-2011. If you are interested in volunteering or donating to the Ventura Family YMCA please visit www.ciymca.org/ventura for more information and online donation opportunities.
About the Channel Islands YMCA
The Channel Islands YMCA is a charitable organization of seven YMCA branches serving Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties including Camarillo Family YMCA, Ventura Family YMCA, Santa Barbara Family YMCA, Montecito Family YMCA, Lompoc Family YMCA, Stuart C. Gildred Family YMCA in Santa Ynez, and YMCA Youth & Family Services.
The Channel Islands YMCA serves over 46,000 individuals and provides over $1.3 million in financial assistance to more than 4,000 low-income families for child care, YMCA memberships, away camps, youth sports, teen after-school-programs, and operates Noah’s Anchorage Youth Crisis Shelter and the Isla Vista Teen Center.
Mission: The Channel Islands YMCA is a charitable organization providing programs based upon Christian principles to men, women and children of all ages, races, religious beliefs and economic status to develop and enrich the spirit, mind and body. www.ciymca.org
