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

 As part of the new Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) and Department of Defense (DoD) Outreach Initiative, the Chambersburg Memorial YMCA is providing military families with access to youth development, family strengthening, and health and well-being programs.  Membership fees for these families are underwritten by the DoD and administered through Military OneSource, an information and referral service for military families.

“The Chambersburg Memorial YMCA is happy to help meet the critical needs facing families of deployed military service members,” said Jen Gossert, Director of Family Services, Chambersburg Memorial YMCA.  “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. 

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;
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 Gossert. “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.” These services are beneficial to military families, as evidenced by the responses of members of the program.

 

 “Having the benefits of the YMCA at the military families’ disposal is a God-send.” said Sasha Coleman Arnett, whose husband Jeremy is currently serving in Iraq. Arnett is caring for their young daughter, London, while her husband is deployed.  “Since we do not have any family even remotely close to Chambersburg, I was a bit concerned as to how I would be able to get some “me time” and also have London get used to different atmospheres and people.  Using the Y’s child care during my workouts has been wonderful. The staff is always so nice, and I never worry about leaving her there.  She enjoys her time with the staff and children, and I enjoy my time to better me as a person, and in turn, as a mom.”

 

For more information about the ASYMCA-DoD Outreach Initiative, please visit www.asymca.org. or www.ymca.net.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 13th, 2009 at 1:20 pm and is filed under Aquatics, Community Outreach, Family, Fitness, Membership, Wellness.