Weekly Update from the CEO
Apr 10, 2020This week, our staff finished making phone calls to all our member households. In total, nearly 4,000 phone calls were made and over 1,300 of you have opted to stay with us and to keep your membership active as a donation to our Y for Good fund while our building is closed.
This number is staggering, and it makes a huge difference in the way we can operate right now and after this crisis. Your donated membership dues are not simply allowing us to pay the bills; they are allowing us to expand our online programming, reach out and help the most vulnerable in our community, and provide relief and assistance for our furloughed staff.
We are overwhelmed with gratitude for those who are able and willing to stay with us. Words cannot begin to describe how thankful we are for your support! Visit our Manage your Membership page to freeze or convert your dues to a donation.
KEEPING YOU CONNECTED
As life during the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we are all playing a part in slowing the spread by committing to self-quarantining and social distancing. However, we recognize the challenges that come with this new normal.
Many people feel alone and isolated living without their daily routines. Here at the West Suburban YMCA, we are doing our best to minimize the impact of social isolation and cultivate social connectivity among our members and community. A few of the specific ways we're doing this include:
- Check in calls to nearly 4,000 members. We learned that we all miss our Y, our friends, and our workouts immensely. We hope these conversations were as comforting for our members as they were for our staff!
- Live "Keeping Fit" classes for seniors via Zoom twice per week, allowing those in a vulnerable demographic to stay active with friends and see each other face to face in a virtual setting.
- Weekly Zoom meetings for current and past participants of our LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program to ensure all in the program are continuing to be supported by our staff and one another.
- Helping our community prioritize their health by offering live group exercise classes via Facebook and Zoom. We have had as many as 70 participants in a single class, and hundreds of people have joined our dedicated WSY Wellness group on Facebook.
- Story times and at-home activities for our preschoolers and Out-of-School Time students, led by the familiar faces of our preschool and out of school time staff.
- Creating and sharing instructional sports and aquatics videos for children who take our classes so that they can see the friendly and familiar faces of their coaches and instructors while continuing to stay active and improve their skills at home.
- Delivering groceries to the vulnerable in our community in partnership with the Newton Food Pantry and Newton Rotary. We are helping those that need food have access to it without putting themselves at risk by leaving their homes to get it.
SUPPORTING OUR FURLOUGHED STAFF
Staff Emergency Relief Fund (SERF)
Finally, the well-being of our employees is a priority for us as well. This week we launched our Staff Emergency Relief Fund (SERF), which will aid Y staff who have been furloughed due to the COVID-19 crisis and who may now be in a difficult position financially.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you need anything. The Y is here to support you in every way we can.
With gratitude,
Jack Fucci
President and CEO
WEST SUBURBAN YMCA