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SUMMIT AREA YMCA

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SUMMIT AREA YMCA

Testimonials

WE’RE HERE FOR YOU

Since its founding in 1886, The Summit Area YMCA has positively impacted the lives of many members in our community and beyond. From helping cancer recovery patients to providing financial assistance to those in need to motivating you to reach your wellness goals, to making safe spaces for children with diverse abilities—we care about our neighbors and work to provide every individual opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. These are their stories.

FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

WHERE KIDS CAN BE KIDS

“Our two active kids who went from being in school, playing sports, and in aftercare to now being home, all the time. We weighed the pros and cons and to think that our kids would waste away on devices all summer while we were also trying to work and be productive made no sense. Camp was the best place for them to be especially since Y Camp worked very smartly with the Board of Health and followed the CDC guidelines (temperatures taken, masks, sanitizing statins, outdoor hand washing sinks). It was a big help camp was largely run outdoors and so a much less risky place to be. The first day I picked them up from camp they were like two different kids – happier than I have seen them in months.” – Judy

SUMMER CAMP AT THE Y

ASPIRE TO INSPIRE

“The Achievers program gave me invaluable information about how I could afford college and helped alleviate my fears about not being able to attend. I learned about scholarships, federal and state aid and that many colleges gave needs-based grants. Knowing I had options gave me hope. Achievers has taught me about the college process, college life, how to network and get a job, the importance of preparing for an interview and more. After high school I want to go to college, study criminal justice, and become a cop. I don’t want to give up on the people who worked so hard for me to get to this point. Someday I want to come back to Achievers and inspire others just like others have inspired me”  – Jeffrey

SUMMER CAMP AT THE Y

A SUPPORTIVE Y FAMILY

“As a single working mother going to school full time, I needed an affordable, quality childcare program for Gaven, my 2 year old. With the generous financial assistance from the Summit Area YMCA, I was able to leave Gaven in the hands of caring, attentive teachers who wanted only the best for him. After 6-7 months in the Toddler program, Gaven was diagnosed with kidney cancer and I had to pull him from school. The teachers regularly sent me emails rooting for his speedy recovery and return. Today we’re back at the Y and Gaven is getting stronger physically and emotionally every day. The Y is truly a community that supports, loves and helps you when you need it.” – Sianneth

SUMMER CAMP AT THE Y

FOR HEALTHY LIVING

GRABBING LIFE

“I’m grabbing life. I started at the Summit Y and I loved it. I came to this new and beautiful building and I knew it had the same mission as the Summit YMCA. I am an advocate of the InBody. They have a machine that takes analysis of your body, and it’s not only your weight, which is just the number, it’s your lean body composition, it’s your muscle skeletal, it’s your water ratio. I do it the first of the month and I chart it and I can have an app that I see the progression. You go to different facilities and you pay for this service. I do believe that this is a strong organization. I do like their mission of including everybody who has all different types of abilities.” – Ellen O.

LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR BODY

THE Y HAS MY HEART

“Back in 2010, I went for my mammography and was told that I have Breast Cancer. Fast forward two years, I got a call from my Gynecologist, and that time I was diagnosed with Endometrial Cancer. I was at the treadmill, and Valeria came over and started talking to me and we just formed a mutual bond. Not only is she my trainer, she’s my friend. When you find out you have cancer, you feel very much alone. Having a program like Livestrong® helps you deal with it, because you’re not alone.” – Genie B.

LIVESTRONG AT THE YMCA

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER

“I have arthritis, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s. I have a knee replacement with iron. Now since I started in the YMCA, I feel so good and healthy. Before I had a headache, confusion, and Alzheimer’s. I don’t say it’s gone, but I’m thinking better. They saw me before with a cane or a stroller, and now I don’t take anything. I have better balance and I’m happy. Since I do exercise, I feel free. I feel like I’m 15 years old! The staff are all so friendly. When you come into the YMCA, everybody says, ‘Good morning!’ and asks how you are doing and when you leave they say ‘Goodbye, have a nice day.” – Yolanda

JOIN THE YMCA FAMILY

FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY

“Once a week I deliver for someone. She doesn’t drive and she has three kids. Last week, I knocked on the door, and there was this little boy, two years old maybe, he comes and says to me in Spanish, ‘Oh you’re bringing the food! I’m so happy! We’re going to have something to eat!’ So imagine how I felt. I went back to my car and cried. Sometimes we take things for granted.” – Ceci A.

BECOME A VOLUNTEER

THANKING THOSE WHO SERVE

“My first impression, I think, was that it was just a really nice gym, but I thought ‘it was just another gym.’ When I found out that you guys were giving free memberships to military members, it changed my perspective because I just thought that was such a great way to show caring for the community and just military members and their families who might have a little extra on their plates at times.” – Brittany F.

MILITARY MEMBERSHIP DETAILS

BUILDING MORE THAN MUSCLE

“Paul, a personal trainer at the Berkeley Heights YMCA, invited my son Brian to work out with him at no extra charge. The Y has helped Brian be motivated to set goals, stay on track, and achieve results. He’s lost over 20lbs since he started working out and is so much more self-confident—he feels like he’s accomplishing something. It is affirming to see your child succeed in a welcoming environment. I’m blessed.” – Debra M.

SPECIAL NEED PROGRAMS

A COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

When we say that the Summit Area YMCA welcomes everyone, we mean it. As the first Diversity, Inclusion & Global Innovation Network of New Jersey, we strive to continuously welcome and engage all people from all diverse groups of the community through welcoming, inclusive practices, program innovation, services, and events to help impact lasting, meaningful change. We believe in the strength of community and supporting our neighbors for a better tomorrow, for a better us.

FRUITFUL BACKPACKS

“The Y to me is the bridge. The bridge to help our families, to receive the resources that they need. I’ve heard from many families, how helpful just getting the backpack has supplied food to their children, who they couldn’t feed over the weekends, who they, you know they’ve lost a paycheck, or they stopped working and how this program alone has helped the families over, so I’m very happy to be a part of that.”  – Joseph C.

HELP FIGHT FOOD INSECURITY

A WELCOMING
ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL

“Something that I think that I can only speak for myself as a special needs parent, and I think sometimes it doesn’t get talked about a lot. It kind of does but there is, there’s like shame that can kind of be involved in it. Where you feel like, are things measuring up? And you’re, you know it can be difficult at times to go into the community and everything.” -Susan

SPECIAL NEEDS PROGRAMS AT THE Y

GROWING STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE EARLY ON

“And I think without the Y, like, you wouldn’t have, you wouldn’t have met those people, or we wouldn’t have done those classes because we probably just wouldn’t have had the time or anything, but because we have the Y, we can do it.”  – Alexis & Anita

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 7TH GRADE MEMBERSHIPS

YMCA NEWS

Blog

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An Eggtastic Scavenger Hunt!

Easter is on the way, and so is our underwater Eggtastic Easter Egg hunt! Children can come and take their chance on finding colorful eggs in the Buntin pool. This

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SUMMIT AREA YMCA

BERKELEY HEIGHTS YMCA | SUMMIT YMCA | THE LEARNING CIRCLE YMCA

In 1886, we were founded as the Young Men’s Christian Association, but today, we are The Y. An association that values, and is made stronger by, its diverse people. We stand for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility — For a better us. We are committed to creating equal opportunity for all regardless of gender, age, disability, income, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religious affiliation. We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive culture in which our four core values — responsibility, honesty, caring and respect — are integral to everyday operations.

Each year, as one of the area’s leading 501(c)3 charitable organizations, the Summit Area YMCA serves more than 15,000 individuals with our free and fee-based programs and services in an area spanning the New Jersey communities of Berkeley Heights, Gillette, Millburn, New Providence, Short Hills, Springfield, Stirling and Summit. Our history is rooted in working side-by-side with our neighbors to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. Through the generosity of our members, donors, and partners, we are able to offer financial assistance for our programs and services to those in need.