YMCA Offer of Aid Best Kept Secret

A few weeks ago, I wrote a letter to the editor stressing and documenting the importance of affordable youth service programs in Ventura County. I specifically cited the plight of single working mothers who desperately want to support their kids with strong, nurturing programs, but can’t afford most available activity programs--including many of those offered by schools and the YMCA.

I received a strong response to that letter. Most were phone calls from single mothers saying this described their situation precisely. The only negative responses were from YMCA representatives--a call from the assistant administrator and a letter from the board chairperson of the local YMCA. They were upset because of my reference to unaffordable programs offered by their organizations.

I was glad to learn from their communications that the YMCA has a policy of never turning away a youth for lack of ability to pay. They offer financial assistance programs to needy families, I was told. But this seems to be one of the best kept secrets around.

Several of the mothers who called indicated they checked the YMCA for possible programs for their kids--talked to representatives and picked up printed materials. Nothing apparently available was affordable to them, they said. There was no mention of possible special financial assistance programs in conversations or materials. So they assumed they just couldn’t afford the YMCA.

This makes me wonder about priorities set by the YMCA leadership. All promotion appears to be targeted at prospective members who can pay high fees, not youth within our community from low-income families who need activity programs the most.

I’d like to suggest the YMCA make an effort to make the general public aware that their financial assistance programs are available, and that no youngster is turned away for lack of ability to pay. Why the secret?

JIM WOODARD

Ventura