A Message Regarding Membership

A Message Regarding Membership

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Dear Valued Member,

We have deeply missed our members during our closure and we can’t wait to welcome you back. I want to thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to re-open our Y based on the guidelines issued by the State of New Jersey and the Centers for Disease Control. We remain committed to ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of our community.

We are thrilled to now be offering in-person outdoor group exercise classes and personal training at our Park Street facility. I am also excited to share that on Monday, August 3, our pools will offer water exercise, special swim hours for vulnerable populations, and lap swim. I know that some of our members have been waiting eagerly for this announcement, and we can’t wait to have them back in the pool. All of these activities are available by registration only in our new MotionVibe program.

As our member programming grows, we want to provide an update about your membership going forward.

For those members who participate in our #StayWithUs campaign, we want to thank you again for helping our Y during this difficult time.

  • If you choose to come to the Y to take advantage of our programming, a portion of your monthly fees will be converted from a donation to membership fees. Please fill out the membership survey by clicking the link below.
  • If you choose not to return to the Y at this time your entire monthly fee will remain a tax-deductible donation. No action is required.

For those members who have memberships on hold, here is what will happen with your membership going forward:

  • Members who are not registered in MotionVibe and not opting to access outdoor group exercise and/or aquatics will remain on hold. No action is required.
  • Members who have registered for an account on MotionVibe must fill out the brief survey below regarding membership. The survey link will also be available in MotionVibe. In August, for those members who are accessing outdoor group exercise and/or aquatics, we will have their memberships activated at 50% of their usual monthly charge and a draft will be drawn on August 14th. Membership staff will contact you via email to remind you that your credit card will be charged. If your credit card needs to be updated, please login into your Y account portal or call the Y at 973-744-3400 between 10 am and 3 pm.

CLICK THIS LINK TO FILL OUT MEMBERSHIP ACTIVATION SURVEY

It has been great to see so many of our Y members begin to return to the Y in recent weeks, and we are looking forward to welcoming more members this month as we open the pools and expand our programming. I hope you will be one of them.

During this time, the YMCA of Montclair has continued to serve our community through emergency childcare, food distributions, blood drives, PPE collection, and senior wellness checks with limited resources. If you will consider reactivating your membership at 100%, we will use the other 50% as a donation to support needed community programs and to help members who need financial assistance to access to our Y. If you have questions, please contact our Chief Development Officer Anneke Demarest at ademarest@montclairymca.org.

For information on what is currently open at the Y and how to sign up for MotionVibe, please go to montclairymca.org/reopening. Please note the YMCA of Montclair is currently only allowing members 16 and over to enter the facility.

If you need assistance, please contact Senior Director of Membership Lisa Kievit at lkievit@montclairymca.org. We are here to help.

I want to thank you for staying with our Y. Our community is stronger together and we remain here for you. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Sincerely,

Buddy Evans
President and CEO

Announcing Park Street YMCA Pools Re-Opening

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(Montclair, NJ) – The YMCA of Montclair is excited to announce the re-opening of our large and small pools at the Park Street YMCA on Monday, August 3, 2020. The large pool will be dedicated to lap swim and the small pool will be dedicated to water exercise and special hours for our vulnerable members. Access to our pools is for members only and by advanced reservation on our new MotionVibe reservation program.

With the health and safety of all as our top priority, we are reintroducing aquatics programming in phases. Individual swim lessons will be added at a later date.

Association Aquatics Director Tammy Como shares, “We are so excited to re-open our pools and offer aquatics programing. We have instituted all safety protocols required by the Department of Health. In addition, we used the time during our closure to drain and acid wash both pools and conduct needed repairs. We are looking forward to seeing our members back in the pool again.”

Lap swim at the Park Street YMCA, located at 25 Park Street in Montclair, will be offered to members Monday, Wednesday, Friday 5:15-10am & 5-8pm. Online reservations are required and available at one slot per day per person. Spaces are open in 45-minute increments to allow 15 minutes to clean and sanitize between use. One swimmer will be allowed per lane. In addition to a lifeguard on site, there will also be a trained staff person on deck to monitor social distancing and cleaning protocols. Registration opens one day in advance for each time slot.

Water Exercise classes for vulnerable populations will be held in the small pool on Mondays and Wednesdays 11-11:45am & 12-12:45pm. Special lap swim hours for vulnerable members in the small pool will be available 10-10:45am on Mondays and Wednesdays and Fridays from 11am-1pm. Members must register online for dedicated slots up to a week in advance.

To learn more about what to expect when visiting the facility and how to register please visit www.montclairymca.org/reopening.

For questions about current aquatics programming, please contact Association Aquatics Director Tammy Como at tcomo@montclairymca.org.

In addition to the return of aquatics at the Park Street YMCA, the YMCA of Montclair’s Dolphins Swim Team has been back in the water training since June 24 at the Montclair Beach Club. All COVID protocols are followed and the Y thanks the Montclair Beach Club for its partnership.

ABOUT YMCA OF MONTCLAIR
The YMCA of Montclair welcomes all. We are a nonprofit that strengthens individuals, families, and community by developing spirit, mind, and body. We focus on healthy living, social responsibility, and youth development. Serving Bloomfield, Bloomingdale, Clifton, Cedar Grove, Glen Ridge, Haskell, Montclair, Verona, and West Milford. For more information, please visit montclairymca.org.

Brave Space Community Dialogue

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The YMCA of Montclair is hosting a series of community conversations on diversity, inclusion, and equity. The discussions are led by the YMCA of Montclair's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Chair Dr. Laura Quiros, Ph.D., LMSW.

We live in a time of complex trauma stemming from societal violence and natural disasters. Through dialogue, we seek to recognize that all of our struggles are intimately connected and that we must work together to create the kind of world we know is possible. Come prepared to discuss what an anti-racist community looks and feels like. What action steps do we need to get there?

As a movement, the YMCA denounces prejudice, racism, and all forms of discrimination because we believe that we are stronger together. Black lives matter.

Brave Space Community Dialogue sessions are held over Zoom. The community is invited to join via our general e-newsletter and Facebook event. This is a free event, registration is required.

RESOURCES

September 9 Brave Space Audio

August 13 Brave Space Audio

July 28 Brave Space Audio

July 8 Brave Space Audio

July 1 Y-USA African American CEOs virtual town hall on Unlearning Systemic Racism.

June 19 Juneteenth Brave Space Audio

 

Play Video

YMCA of Montclair Opens Early Learning Center

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Montclair, NJ (June 12, 2020) – The YMCA of Montclair, a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, announces the opening of its new Early Learning Center on July 1, 2020. The YMCA of Montclair’s Early Learning Center is conducting a soft opening on June 15 with families from its existing waiting list.

The YMCA of Montclair’s Early Learning Center is located within the Geyer Family YMCA at 159 Glenridge Avenue in Montclair, NJ. The Early Learning Center will serve 44 children during COVID-19 restrictions but has the capacity to serve up to 132 once those restrictions are lifted. The program offers full-day child care for children 3 months to 4 years old.
The Y has offered emergency child care at the Geyer Family YMCA since the end of March and its staff is trained and experienced in all COVID-19 protocols and procedures.
“We are excited to open an Early Learning Center that will support families in Montclair and surrounding communities,” said Buddy Evans, President and CEO of the YMCA of Montclair. “The Y is committed to nurturing children by providing experiences that help youth grow and develop into confident, caring, happy, and healthy individuals.”
“The YMCA Early Learning programs are rooted in the Y’s core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility and paired with the Creative Curriculum educational framework,” said Justine Biendon, Early Learning Center Director. “The Y creates intentional Learn Through Play experiences designed to develop a child’s potential through creative, intellectual, emotional, social, and physical skills while they grow.”
Children learn best through interaction and exploration because play supports educational activities. The YMCA early learning programs are guided by the Healthy Kids Initiative, an intentional strategy to expose all youth to healthy eating, nutrition, and physical activity while in the Y’s care in order to achieve equitable health outcomes for both young people and their families.
The Y’s early childhood learning programs, which have earned national accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, give kids the chance to explore freely through:
  • STEM activities that help with math and science comprehension
  • arts and humanities projects that develop fine motor skills
  • physical activities and nutritious food to encourage healthy habits
  • swimming and water safety classes in a guarded environment
  • enrichment opportunities, including music & movement classes and an introduction to languages like Spanish or American Sign Language
Please note swim and language will be added at a later date due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The Y offers a warm and welcoming environment in which every child can thrive. Most importantly, children have a place to grow with the guidance of caring adults while their parents are at work.
Parents who are interested in the program should complete the interest form online. The YMCA offers financial assistance to cover the cost of tuition for child care for those needing help. YMCA membership is not required to enroll. For more information, visit the Y’s website at https://www.montclairymca.org/early-learning-center/.
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ABOUT YMCA OF MONTCLAIR
The YMCA of Montclair was founded in 1891 and is a nonprofit organization that welcomes all people. The Y offers need-based financial assistance for programs and membership and school-aged childcare to residents of Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, Clifton, Glen Ridge, Montclair, and Verona. The Y also offers financial assistance for camp to residents of Bloomingdale, Haskell, and West Milford. Members benefit from healthy lifestyle-related core programs, including aquatics, childcare, day camp, family activities, health and wellness, sports, and teen programs. For more information, please visit montclairymca.org.

A Message Regarding Racial Justice and Equity

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Dear Community,

This is a painful and traumatic time. Our nation once again, has been shaken by the death of an African American man, this time in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of George Floyd, and our colleagues at the YMCA Twin Cities as their community grapples with the aftermath of his death. This death deepens the sorrow of a nation already shocked and in mourning following the murders of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade and so many before.

This past weekend, many marched and more bore witness to the anger, frustration, and fear of decades of injustice. We all have a role to play in our personal and professional commitments to changing systemic and anti-black racism in our community. Helping others reach their fullest potential is our mission at the YMCA of Montclair. We are a diverse community that strives for inclusion and equity while knowing there is always work to do. Our commitment to equity calls on us to listen to the pain of living in a society where your humanity is not always valued; speak up during those moments that feel most uncomfortable; and to make a commitment to sincerely confront systemic racism.

Ways to get involved:
Resources for children include:
Readings for parents/caregivers: Beyond Golden Rule; MLK Day Race Justice

Let us not remain silent in words or actions as we work to create a more equitable community where ALL of our children can learn, grow, and thrive.

Sincerely,

Buddy Evans
President and CEO

Izumi Hara
Board Chair

Laura Quiros
Chair, Diversity, Equity Inclusion Committee

YMCA of Montclair Begins Food Distribution Program to Meet Community Need

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Montclair, NJ (June 1, 2020) – The YMCA of Montclair is helping to feed people who are facing financial hardships during the COVID-19 health crisis.

The Y has partnered with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey and the Seashore Fruit and Produce Co., Inc. to distribute boxes of fresh produce and shelf-stable pantry food to families and seniors in the greater Montclair area.

The Y received its first delivery of 300 emergency food boxes on Thursday, May 28, and distributed those boxes on Friday, May 29 to approximately 60 families who are experiencing food insecurity. The distribution took place at the Y’s Park Street Branch.
According to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, in a recent Monmouth University poll, the coronavirus outbreak has made a major impact on the lives of 7 in 10 New Jerseyans (71%).

“The YMCA of Montclair and our partners, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey and Seashore Fruit and Produce Co., Inc., seek to address the urgent needs in our community that has been magnified by the pandemic. Food insecurity is an immediate danger to the health of individuals and families,” said Buddy Evans, President and CEO of the YMCA of Montclair. “We all must do our part to help others.”

The YMCA of Montclair plans to continue working with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey and the Seashore Fruit and Produce Co., Inc. in the coming weeks to distribute additional food boxes to residents of the greater Montclair community. Future distribution dates will be announced.

“The economic impact of the pandemic has struck every community across the state, and the need for food assistance has never been greater,” said Carlos Rodriguez, President & CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. “We are grateful for the YMCA of Montclair and all of our partners, who make our work possible and whose efforts in the fight against hunger are more critical during this crisis than ever before.”

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ABOUT YMCA OF MONTCLAIR
The YMCA of Montclair was founded in 1891 and is a nonprofit organization that welcomes all people. The Y offers need-based financial assistance for programs and membership and school-aged childcare to residents of Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, Clifton, Glen Ridge, Montclair, and Verona. The Y also offers financial assistance for camp to residents of Bloomingdale, Haskell, and West Milford. Members benefit from healthy lifestyle-related core programs, including aquatics, childcare, day camp, family activities, health and wellness, sports, and teen programs. For more information, please visit montclairymca.org.

ABOUT COMMUNITY FOODBANK OF NEW JERSEY
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ), a member of Feeding America®, has been delivering food, help and hope across the state for 45 years. Last year, CFBNJ provided nutritious food for over 50 million meals through its network of more than 1,000 community partners including pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, mobile pantries, and child and senior feeding programs throughout the 12 New Jersey counties it serves (Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset and Union). For our hungry neighbors, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey is the powerful agent of change that fills the emptiness caused by hunger and provides resources that are essential to earning a sustainable living.