Military Families Receive Memberships

For more information
contact Lisa Talley
423-265-8834
ltalley@ymcachattanooga.org

THE YMCA PROVIDES SUPPORT TO MILITARY FAMILIES AS PART OF NEW $31-MILLION INITIATIVE

Armed Services YMCA and Department of Defense partnership gives military families access to youth development, family strengthening, and health and well-being programs

(Chattanooga, October 16, 2008) — As part of the new Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) and Department of Defense (DoD) Outreach Initiative, area YMCAs will provide military families with access to youth development, family strengthening, and health and well-being programs at community YMCAs nationwide. Membership fees will be underwritten by the DoD and administered through Military OneSource, an information and referral service for military families. YMCA of the USA, the national resource office for America’s 2,686 YMCAs, will help launch the initiative at participating YMCAs across the country.

“The area YMCAs is happy to help meet the critical needs facing families of deployed military service members,” said Randy Brown, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga. “Families are the most affected when a loved one gets deployed, so we are deeply committed to providing them with the support they need.”

The ASYMCA-DoD Outreach Initiative responds to a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, which requires the Secretary of Defense to develop a plan to support military family readiness and to ensure that military family readiness programs and activities are available to all deployed National Guard and Reserve families, and some active duty families in certain special categories.

Eligible military families participating in the initiative are eligible for YMCA memberships based on participation requirements. Those eligible to participate in the new initiative include:

All interested families of joint deployed National Guard and Reserves of all military branches;

Families living in newly established Joint Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) bases;

Active Duty Independent Duty station personnel and their families; and Relocated spouses and family members of deployed Active Duty personnel.

“The YMCA has a long history of supporting military service members and their families – since the Civil War – so it was natural for us to join this initiative,” said Mr. Brown. “During this time of conflict, it is more important than ever that we continue providing services and support to these families in the absence of a deployed spouse.”

More information about the ASYMCA-DoD Outeach Initiative can be found by visiting www.asymca.org or www.ymca.net.

The YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga is part of a worldwide movement that began in London, England in 1844 and was established in Chattanooga in February, 1871. The Y is a not-for-profit organization which is volunteer-led and community-based.

Mr. Brown explains, “YMCA programs and services do include health and fitness activities, but we see ourselves as so much more than a gym because we provide so many other services to the community. We provide child care (preschool, before-and-after-school), day camp, resident camp, youth sports, family enrichment and over thirty programs for children and youth that provide tutoring, mentoring, leadership development, character development, wholesome recreation and community involvement.” According to Mr. Brown, through these programs, the YMCA contributes to the health of the community, supports families, builds tomorrow’s leaders, enhances the educational system, works to prevent juvenile crime, promotes good citizenship and volunteerism, and gives parents of all incomes a caring and safe child care environment.

The stated mission of the YMCA is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. Mr. Brown stressed that “the YMCA is for everyone regardless of race, religion, gender, age, income or ability. The YMCA’s financial assistance program, supported in part through contributions to the Strong Kids Campaign and United Way, provides scholarships for YMCA programs and services for those in need within our available resources.”

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