Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
‘HERE FOR GOOD’
COVID-19 pandemic puts financial hardship on local YMCAs
WESTCHESTER » Priscilla Jackson, amember of the West Chester Area YMCA, doesn’t have to wait to get on the treadmill any longer. In fact, most times she is the only person using the exercise equipment.
The pandemic has taken its toll on the YMCA of Greater Brandywine Valley. Part-time staff has been cut 60 percent.
Full-time staff was cut 33 percent. Since March, there’s been a 43 percent drop in revenue, and a 50 percent drop in membership.
Slowly, members are beginning to return. Safety protocols are in place at The YMCA of Greater Brandywine Valley, which includes every YMCA in Chester County. Masks are required, even when working out. guests get their temperature checked and are asked a series of screening questions after entering. All equipment is cleaned and disinfected regularly. Class sizes are smaller, and equipment is spaced out. Steam rooms and saunas are closed.
“Safety has always been number one for us,” said Denise Day, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Brandywine. “I amvery proud of our staff and team for all the safety protocols we have put in place. Some folks aren’t coming back because they don’t want to wear masks when they work out.”
Anticipating a loss of more than $19 million in revenue this year, the YMCA recently launched a “Here For Good” campaign to offset some of the losses. Many of the facilities in Chester County transformed parts of the building into virtual schools to help working families.
Adding to the financial problem is that the YMCA of Greater Brandywine was not eligible for funding through the CARES Act or Paycheck Protection Pro-
gram, due to having more than 500 workers prior to COVID.
“Many people assume we received this funding, but that’s not the case,” Day said. “We have been weathering this storm by controlling expenses and managing our funds as effectively as we can.”
Since it reopened June 29, the YMCA has helped local families devastated by the pandemic. It has organized blood drives to help with shortages, collected and distributed food to more than 500 local families weekly, offered virtual wellness classes, hosted virtual story time for kids and provided outreach to seniors and those people struggling with isolation.
Day said she is hopeful that with the colder weather setting in, people will turn back to the YMCA with the increased safety protocols in place.
“With our income so significantly impacted, we worry about families going without needed childcare, preschool and enrichment activities such as swim lessons and youth sports, seniors facing isolation without the opportunity the Y provides for socialization and friendships, adults without access to needed health and wellness resources at YGBW, talented employees without jobs andmuch more,” said Day.
Recently, the YMCA branches in Chester County have worked in partnership with parents and school districts to determine how they could best support families during the upcoming school year.
“The safety of all who enter our branches has always been our highest priority, but this has certainly taken on even greater importance with COVID-19,” said Nic Legere, Executive Director of Safety and Risk Management for the YMCA of Greater Brandywine. “We are taking every precaution we can to create the safest experience possible—there is no compromising. We’ve purchased needed PPE, supplies and new equipment such as electrostatic sprayers for thorough disinfection; retrained staff in the latest CDC protocols; moved equipment and furniture to allow for social distancing; created needed safety signage and more.”
Day said one of the best ways to fight COVID-19 is to be healthy, and working out helps people stay healthy, she said.
To encourage people to return, the YMCA is reducing memberships by 20 percent through the end of the year.