We hope this newsletter finds you and your family safe and well.

Earlier this week, instead of sending you our Y @ Home newsletter, we sent you a message regarding racial justice and equity. We felt it was important to speak out. Our Y will continue our mission to strengthen community. We, as a community, must do better, we will do better, together.

Until we see you again,

Take care. We miss you. Stay Safe.

The leadership of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee met this week and are planning a series of dialogues for the Y Community to discuss racial injustice. The Y seeks to build a culture of care and create spaces for all members of our community to be heard. The voices and perspectives of our youth will in particular be sought. Together we will work to make the Y a more inclusive environment for all in our community. More will follow in coming weeks as this group continues to meet and plan.

The YMCA of Montclair has been running emergency child care for the past two months under CDC guidelines, and are happy to announce that we are now able to open our Early Learning Center to the general public with a soft opening on June 15 with limited enrollment. July 1 will be our official opening day. We are now reaching out to families on our wait-list, in the order in which they signed up. We will contact families until we reach capacity.

For information regarding our Early Learning Center, contact Justine Biendon, Early Learning Center Director, [email protected].

Governor Murphy has also opened summer day camp starting July 6. Our New Adventures Summer Day Camp will be a limited capacity camp held at our Geyer Family and Park Street Branches for children ages 4-10. We have been contacting those families who had already registered.

For information regarding our New Adventures Summer Day Camp, contact Kim Burrows, Director of Camping Services, [email protected].

How do we talk to our children about equity, racism and protests? Here are two resources that may help:

Coming Together: Standing Up To Racism - A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall For Kids and Families: "CNN and Sesame Street join once again this Saturday for a new Town Hall to help kids and families discuss racism and the protests taking place nationwide, build empathy and embrace diversity. The hour-long special, Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism, will be hosted by CNN commentator Van Jones and CNN anchor Erica Hill, along with Sesame Street’s Big Bird, on Saturday, June 6 at 10 a.m. ET on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español."

Starter Kit of Resources for Anti-Racist Awareness and Accountability

"Knowledge is power. It can also help strengthen empathy, understanding, and a unified desire to work for equality and accountability. In that spirit, here are resources and readings to help families and individuals, especially white families and individuals, start conversations and work on their own biases by delving into uncomfortable topics and leaving their comfort zones."

For every 100 people not counted, a community loses an estimated $1.2 million annually in federal funds for programs such as Medicaid, social services block grants and vocational education.

To help us fund our emergency child care, food distribution days, blood drives, and PPE collection station, please consider donating today.

 WE ARE A NONPROFIT COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY