The YMCA of Greater Saint John. (Image: saintjohny.ymca.ca)
The YMCA’s 2021 Strong Communities Campaign officially launched Wednesday to raise funds for community members who face financial barriers accessing a wide range of YMCA programs in Greater Saint John.
Honorary Campaign Co-Chair for the 2021 campaign, Brian Wheelock says before COVID-19, the local YCMA supported roughly 28 per cent of its members financially in accessing various programs, a number he says is rising with the pandemic, to as high as 31 per cent.
Brian and his wife, Anne, (herself a fellow 2021 campaign co-chair), have both supported the Strong Communities Campaign for more than 20 years and have seen the positive impact it has on people, from children to seniors to entire families.
The campaign funds YMCA programs such as licensed child care, health and fitness memberships, youth mental health support and digital literacy for seniors.
President and CEO of YMCA Greater Saint John, Shilo Boucher says people and community partners stepped up in the early pandemic last year when they had to close their facilities for a few months.
Boucher says the YMCA received funding from various sources and was able to start new programs, such as Y Home Delivery and its digital literacy programs for seniors to meet the needs of the community in a different way.
This year the YMCA’s goal is to raise $525,000 which will help provide support for roughly 3000 community members.
“One of the big areas of need is childcare, because I think we’ve all experienced the need for that and how that can impact families live so if it’s not there and provided to them,” Boucher said.
