For A Better Us

As a volunteer at the Harlem YMCA in New York, Marcus Samuelsson gives back to his community by teaching kids how to cook and then sharing a meal with their parents.

Murphy Nmezi wins first place in the 13th running of the Johnson Family YMCA Celebrate Life 5K. The annual events unites the community together for a day of fellowship, fun and the opportunity to get healthy together.

Raymond McFarlane came to the Winston Family YMCA after he nearly died in a car crash. Doctors told him he may need a wheelchair for the rest of his life, but through our Adaptive Wellness partnership with Brooks Rehabilitation, Raymond is proving them wrong.

Using her running career to pique their interest in STEM, Olympic gold medalist and Y youth participant Allyson Felix leads a hands-on experiment with Y kids from the Crenshaw Family YMCA in Los Angeles, CA.

Give and Give Some More with Amazon Smile

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast every time you shop, at no extra cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization.

To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com. On your first visit, you’ll be asked to select a charity. Please enter YMCA of Florida’s First Coast in the search field. That’s all there is to it! Now a percent of every eligible purchase will go to help our YMCA programs. Thank you!

Which products on AmazonSmile are eligible?

Tens of millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product detail pages.

Can I use my existing Amazon.com account on AmazonSmile?

Yes, you use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile. Your shopping cart, Wish List, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same.

The holidays are a time for gathering and bonding—often over food! These moments can serve as opportunities to nurture a child’s development together as a family. From offering nutritious meal options to provoking thoughtful conversation, any adults who spend Thanksgiving with children can easily inspire healthy choices and deeper gratitude.

Here are three simple questions to get kids reflecting and sharing:

1. If you could do something to cheer up a group of kids less fortunate than you, what would you do? Why?

2. Can you think of two things you own that you would be willing to give to a child your age who is not going to get any gifts this holiday?

3. Can you think of three things we could do to make meals together more interesting and fun for everyone in the family?

Download a list of more questions for year-round conversation.

For more than 160 years, the Y has been a place that brings communities together. Here on the First Coast, we have been committed to uniting, supporting and celebrating individuals and families for nearly 110 years.

We’re excited to share with you a new short film produced by YMCA of the USA that showcases the Y’s work as a vital nonprofit that makes a difference in 10,000 communities across the nation.

At our core, the Y is about helping individuals reach their full potential, and giving them opportunities to connect with their neighbors, all in service of making us better as individuals, communities and as a nation.

We are in this together.

Thank you for helping us make the First Coast stronger.

First Coast YMCA Joins Welcoming America & Hundreds of Communities to Celebrate New Americans During Welcoming Week

This Welcoming Week, taking place Sept. 15–24, 2017, the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast will join Welcoming America and hundreds of YMCAs and other organizations nationwide to celebrate immigrants’ contributions to communities and bring together all residents in a spirit of unity.

During Welcoming Week, all First Coast YMCAs will be open to the entire community.

“We believe the First Coast is stronger when everyone feels welcome and we can all work together for the common good,” said Eric K. Mann, President & CEO, YMCA of Florida’s First Coast. “Welcoming Week is an opportunity for neighbors – both immigrants and U.S.-born residents – to connect, find common ground and celebrate our shared values – all for a better us.”

The Y has a long history of welcoming and engaging immigrants – from launching the nation’s first English as a Second Language class in 1856 to providing aid to thousands of new arrivals at Ellis and Angel Islands in the early 1900s.

We believed then as we do now, that offering our newest neighbors the support and care to thrive creates stronger, more connected communities for all. With more than 42 million foreign-born individuals living in the United States today, the Y is committed to strengthening community by fostering an environment that encourages successful immigrant integration and social cohesion.

Welcoming America is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that is leading the growing movement of inclusive communities nationwide. They provide partners and communities with the guidance, resources and support to foster a culture and policy environment that makes it possible for newcomers to feel valued and to fully participate alongside their neighbors in the social, civic, and economic fabric of their adopted hometowns. Learn more at https://www.welcomingamerica.org/.

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

As you know, the city of Houston has been devastated by unprecedented flooding from what is now Tropical Storm Harvey. The YMCA of Greater Houston is responding with their Emergency Preparedness plan and working with the City and Emergency Services. At the request of city officials, the YMCA is opening shelters in the Houston area. So far, because of extreme conditions, they’ve only been able to open 2 shelters but are working to open 8.

The Greater Houston YMCA is accepting donations on their webpage to assist with the emergency. If you can help, please make a donation and circulate to others in our YMCA family.

Thank you for your support.

To support the critical need of swim safety and drown prevention in Florida, the First Coast YMCA announced today a donation of $100,000 from health care leader Florida Blue. The support will provide free water safety lessons for hundreds of children on the First Coast. It is a program the Y is able to offer for free based on children/schools eligibility in the free/reduced lunch programs. This program is funded through grants, partnerships and our Annual Fundraising Campaign.

As a leader in water safety and swim instruction, the Y’s Safety Around Water program is designed to teach children how to reach the water’s surface if submerged, safely reach the edge of a pool, exit any body of water and respond to unexpected water situations. Research shows that participation in formal water safety and swim lessons can reduce the risk of drowning among children 1 to 4 years of age.

“Every child deserves access to water safety resources,” said YMCA of Florida’s First Coast President and CEO Eric Mann. “We thank Florida Blue for this incredibly generous support of the Safety Around Water initiative. This gift enables us to teach lifesaving water safety skills to more than 800 additional children in our North Florida community alone. Building a stronger, safer and healthier community is an ongoing effort that cannot be achieved without partnerships like this.”

In recent years, Florida Blue has contributed more than $700,000 to support various YMCA initiatives across the state of Florida, and has stayed actively involved in improving overall health and wellness for people of all ages and backgrounds. Here on the First Coast, the company also played a significant role in helping the Y open the Florida Blue Wellness Center at the Winston Family Y along with the Healthy Living Center, a comprehensive resource for all local residents to receive programs that address health concerns in surrounding neighborhoods.

“The quality of life in Jacksonville is personified by its natural resources,” said Florida Blue Market President Darnell Smith. “Every child should be able to explore and enjoy the full, life-enabling energy of water. Learning how to swim and be safe around water will enable parents and children to conquer fears and embrace life more abundantly.”

Susan Towler, Florida Blue executive director of corporate social responsibility, has long been passionate about bringing this life skill to children and their families. “Drowning is a preventable tragedy, and we have a responsibility to help parents understand the importance of teaching themselves and their children how to survive in water. Learning lifesaving water safety skills is a solution that helps ensure children can grow up strong and healthy.”

The YMCA has offered swim lessons on the First Coast since the 1950s. Safety Around Water is offered at all pools at all First Coast YMCA locations, plus the Galimore Center and Calhoun Center pools in St. Augustine.