The YMCA — making a difference
Five years ago, Andrew Penney was a single father of three children, building a life for his family in a new community. When the daycare he had been using moved, he found himself with no options for his children. “I was in a panic; there was nothing available, and not being from around Regina I didn’t have family or friends available to step in. At the last minute, I was told there was a daycare right in my children’s school and it was just sheer luck that I found out about it,” said Penney. That daycare was the YMCA’s Before and After School Program, a child care program that takes place in a number of schools in Regina. Care is provided to children attending the school from Grades 1 to 6. The program includes ageappropriate activities designed to be fun while encouraging social development and promoting physical and emotional health. “My boys were five and seven at the time, and I was able to get both of them into the program. When I contacted the YMCA, I found out that there were positions open that would allow me to drop my boys off at 7 a.m. so I could be at work on time, and pick them up again at 6 p.m., which gave me time to get things done before they came home for supper,” said Penney. The YMCA offers the Before and After School Program at a price that is affordable for most families, regardless of size, and there is also assistance provided in special circumstances for a small onetime fee. And, included in the cost of daycare, each child becomes a registered YMCA member, able to benefit from programs in other facilities. “Besides being a better price than other programs, the cost includes Y memberships for the boys, so I could do things like enrol them in swimming lessons,” said Penney. At the YMCA, the professionally accredited staff members understand the need for parents’ peace of mind and recognize the unique challenges that each child can present. Along with program volunteers and interns, everyone involved in the Before and After School Program is committed to giving children every opportunity to reach their full potential. “It was just me and my boys, and over the years they have been like family — the staff and the volunteers. They have interns from the University of Regina that have included the quarterback from the Regina Thunder. The boys love football and it was amazing for them to get to play with a ‘professional,’ ” said Penney. The Before and After School Program enables all families to use trusted, quality child care that fosters healthy child development. Their ability to do this comes in part from the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign, an annual fundraiser that focuses on raising funds for supporting proven YMCA children’s programs. The generous donations from the community allow the YMCA to continue the cycle of giving back to the community that supports it by providing programs that give children healthier, happier lives today, so that they might grow into productive adults in the future. “Even at a young age, my boy has said he wants to intern in the program; he’s already giving back to the community,” said Penney. Andrew Penney was able to provide for his family with the support of the YMCA, and now his family is passing on the values that the YMCA instilled in them.