Family YMCA of Black Hawk County

Stay With Us - The Y is Responding

We miss you! T he Y continues to miss the joy and life that you bring as a member within our physical building. As members, we care about you and your health and wellness. You are the heart of this organization, and we know how much you depend on the Y. We recognize the challenges that are ahead, and continue to ask you to Stay With Us .

These are the faces of emergency childcare and what it means for us to keep serving our community: Meet Katie and her daughter, Magnolia. After their usual child care center closed recently due to COVID-19, Katie needed emergency child care in order to maintain her job as a CNA at Bartels Lutheran Community. "Without the Y, I would have had to reduce my hours, which would have meant the people I serve at Bartels would be short-staffed. We are grateful for the Y being open and for welcoming our daughter with warm arms," said Katie, mom of sweet Magnolia. Through these trying times, the YMCA is in the position to make a difference where it matters most. Because of this, we have continued to transform our YMCA to support essential persons in need with caring for their children during this crisis. They will not have to worry that their child is in a safe place, as they care for a growing number of our loved ones during this difficult time. You can find more information regarding our emergency childcare at https://www.blackhawkymca.org/covidycare/.   We want to support you We have partnered with the Northeast Iowa Food Bank to help serve our members and community. If you or someone you know needs help with food security, or if you have other needs, please fill out our survey and be sure to indicate your need in this time. We have been conducting well-check calls regularly to our most vulnerable populations and want to know how we can best serve you. We are praying for our members and community to practice socially responsible behaviors and to stay home whenever possible. As always, check our website or Facebook page for the most up-to-date information. We will continue to work for a better tomorrow. We are here for good.

With kindness and great hope,

Angela Widner Chief Executive Officer Family YMCA of Black Hawk County

How can we help you? We know that this time is difficult and we would like to be there for you. Survey for Member Assistance (Click the purple button to fill out our COVID-19 YMCA Member Assistance survey)

YMCA Facility and Grounds Usage To be respectful of local and state officials, to promote healthy living through social distancing and the "stay safe, stay home" initiative, we ask you to please refrain from gathering on YMCA property (parking lots and grounds included). We want you, the heart of our organization, to practice safety and social responsibility as we navigate the difficult days ahead. Thank you for your understanding and if you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

Featured in the News Be on the lookout for this week’s Steele Report this Sunday, featuring our CEO, Angie Widner, and the other Steering Committee members of the Black Hawk County Emergency Child Care Initiative. We discussed our initiative and the work we are doing across the community to organize emergency childcare care to support our community’s essential personnel: https://kwwl.com/the-steele-report/

Child care short for essential workers' families WATERLOO - Black Hawk County is leading the charge in preparation for a possible shortage in child care. Leaders with Child Care Resource and Referral and the YMCA have partnered with Waterloo and Cedar Falls public school districts to form the... Read more wcfcourier.com

YMCA offers emergency child care for front-line workers... Across the nation, schools are closed, parents are working from home and families are hunkering down and sheltering in place. But for first responders like Julie Beard, that is not an option. "I'm a police sergeant and my husband is a grocery... Read more www.today.com

4/2/2020 COVID-19 Press Briefing In the 4/2/2020 COVID-19 Press briefing, we heard from speakers from Black Hawk County Sheriff's Department, Black Hawk County Health Department, BHC COVID-19 Childcare Provider Task Force, and the mayors from Waterloo and Cedar Falls. Residents... Read more www.blackhawkcovid19.com

Be Well, Stay active Keep your health a priority during this time! As the Centers for Disease Control's only Diabetes Prevention Program recognized provider in the Cedar Valley, we can provide resources to telehealth options and general nutritional, exercise and preventative measures to support you. If you have an underlying medical condition or need support, please contact us at [email protected]. Our YMCA is a member of the Iowa Diabetes Coalition in support of the YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program. If you are on Facebook, check out "Iowa Diabetes" and click the video link for Q&A from Dr. Anuj Bhargava regarding COVID-19 and Diabetes. Virtual Exercise Classes to Keep You Active: Keep moving at home with no equipment. There are classes for every fitness level through Y360 ! YMCA 360 Workouts A r e you missing our Les Mills classes? You can stream FREE for 2 months, season 1 of Les Mills On-Demand: FREE: Les Mills On-Demand

Equipment for Purchase: Our YMCA acquired equipment from the transition of John Deere wellness sites and is willing to sell pieces (dumbbells, plates, barbells, treadmills, spin bikes, ellipticals). If you are interested, please email [email protected] for more information.

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