Young Mens Christian Association of Nashville and Middle Tennessee

Youth development why? we're committed to nurturing the potential of children and teens in our community because we believe the values and skills learned early on are the vital building blocks of life. research shows that the way a child or teen spends their time away from school can play a critical role in their future success. specifically, programs like those the y offers help youth: * find inspiration and meaning * do better in school * learn essential skills * develop socially and emotionally * gain confidence * feel safe and welcomed how? every day we give thousands of youth the opportunity to discover their true potential and to cultivate the values, skills and relationships that will lead to positive behaviors and better health and educational achievement. our strategies: provide a place to belong the y gives youth and teens in our community a safe place to belong while offering quality programs and services that make sure our kids' learning and development does not begin and end with the sound of the school bell. develop character values and life skills the y connects kids to caring adult role models whose example and leadership teach kids critical character values and life skills ranging from how to get into college to how to be a good sport and even better citizen. cultivate healthy habits children reach their full potential when they are healthy in all areas of life-spirit, mind and body. through a wide range of youth wellness programs and initiatives, the y is working to give kids the healthy habits they need to learn, grow and thrive. help those who need us most whether it's providing a literacy tutor to close a child's achievement gap, a swim lesson in a community with a higher risk of drowning or a mentor to a teen trying to overcome the mistakes of their past, the y believes in giving every child a chance to thrive regardless of their socioeconomic circumstances. our 2023 impact: nurtured the potential of over 88,000 youth and teens through y membership programs including swim lessons, summer camp, before-and-after school care and other enrichment opportunities designed to teach critical life skills; as a participant in both the federal child and adult care food program and the summer food service program, the y served over 297,000 meals to children at our highest-need after-school care sites.

Social responsibility why? our y has been listening and responding to our community's most critical social needs for 148 years, and we remain committed to fostering a sense of social responsibility by providing people with opportunities to give back and support neighbors. history has taught us that lasting personal and social change only comes when we join hands to work together and support one another. how? following christ's great commandment to love our neighbor, the y strives to provide places and environments where people can feel like they can belong, and where they can make a difference in their own neighborhood. every day we work side-by-side with neighbors to provide opportunities for people to give back and to develop the community support and resources needed to address our region's most pressing challenges. our strategies: nurturing supportive communities science is starting to prove what the y has long known: that when people form positive and mutually supportive relationships with one another, they can accomplish remarkable things for both themselves and their community. from group exercise to teen centers to senior social clubs, the y seeks to provide opportunities for people of all ages, backgrounds and incomes to make meaningful connections with one another. providing opportunities to give back as a volunteer led organization, the y recognizes the mutual benefit that results when people share their time, talent and financial resources in support of a cause larger than themselves. that's why we've made it a priority to develop new systems to both help the y engage its current volunteers and encourage oth