Through their initiatives, programs, and services The Valley of the Sun YMCA helps youth realize their potential; teens and young adults prepare for college; families spend time and have fun together; people are healthier in mind, body, and spirit; job seekers prepare for employment; newcomers are welcome and embraced; a nationwide service ethic is fostered; and so much more.

Although the Valley of the Sun YMCA (The Y) has temporarily closed their branches due to COVID-19, their work in our community is expanding. As they have done for more than a century, the Y is reallocating their finite resources to offer solutions and services that meet their members and neighbors at the heart of where they need them most.

Through help from emergency funding from the United for the Valley COVID-19 grant, The Y has been able to allocate resources to critical needs areas ranging from child care and food programs, to virtual senior outreach.

The good news is:

• 200 children of essential workers have been served each week in emergency child care
• 18,345 nutritious meals have been provided to those children
• 125 Arizonans have had access to transitional housing through The Y’s residence program
• 2,103 hours of work experience have been provided to youth workforce participants.
  

Through The Y’s Facebook live events and virtual resources, families have been able to enjoy watching fun activities and senior citizens have had a friendly face to see while in isolation. The work that The Y doing is vital in supporting the community now more than ever and UNITED today, we can strengthen tomorrow.

“We’re proud of what we’ve done on behalf of our community so far, but our work is far from over. United Way will continue to work side-by-side with nonprofits, schools and the entire community to provide ongoing relief and, simultaneously, build toward recovery.” - Carla Vargas Jasa, President and CEO of Valley of the Sun United Way

The fund is intended to provide financial support related to immediate and immerging needs of organizations and the vulnerable individuals and families they serve, such as maintaining housing, securing food, access to reliable childcare, home sanitation supplies, and learning tools. Our ‘Response Report’ covers our organization’s first seven weeks of local response, March 20-May 8, 2020. The report is available at www.vsuw.org/covidreport.

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