During the past several weeks, this country has witnessed violence that has had a major impact on our society, as well as, Staff and Members. After many discussions with a cross-section of our Board of Directors, Staff and Members, I want to provide a thought-driven message to help us ALL move forward. Our Leadership Team, Executive Directors and others have participated in several communications regarding the ongoing national dialogue.

The brutal murder of George Floyd was a despicable and cowardly act that has brought to the surface, very raw emotions about inequalities within our own respective communities and workforces. Conversations about how we treat each other have been the cornerstone of the Y’s history and mission for almost 170 years. We strive to stand for spiritual, social and mental health of our youth, adults and families.

If we plan on “talking the talk, we MUST walk the walk”. It would have been disingenuous on my part to send this message before taking a hard look inside our own organization. As we continue these difficult conversations among staff and the community we serve, we want to ensure that our lens towards equity and inclusiveness is very clear. We recognize and respect all the feedback we have received and we are committed to doing our best to manage these issues. Six months ago, our path forward in recognizing and addressing inequities began with me and our Board of Directors making a statement that acknowledged the need for change. We hired one of Rhode Island’s finest in Kobi Dennis, Manager of Diversity, Inclusion & Special Projects, to lead this effort. His proven track-record in bringing ideas, training, strategies and culturally relevant solutions forward is unparalleled. Much of the work he has begun was temporarily derailed when COVID-19 changed our workforce. We are focused on recommitting to our mission of developing healthy minds, body and spirit as we continue our structured reopening.

How we are measured should depend on what we do and not what we say we do. I am asking you to become more involved in our local YMCA’s as staff, members and volunteers. Our vision is to move forward with all partners at each branch and camps. We are fully committed to our urban initiative that will create positivity and measurable impacts to the community we serve. This is an opportunity for everyone to come together “FOR A BETTER US”!

With Dignity & Respect,

Steven G. O’Donnell
Chief Executive Officer
YMCA of Greater Providence

YMCA OF GREATER PROVIDENCE Y’S TO REOPEN AFTER 77-DAY CLOSURE DUE TO COVID-19  

PHASED REOPENING TO BEGIN JUNE 4.

[PROVIDENCE, RI, Monday, June 2] — After closing its facilities due to the Governor’s the stay-at-home order surrounding the spread of COVID-19, the YMCA of Greater Providence Y’s will reopen all Rhode Island locations in phases beginning June 4. The Newman YMCA in Seekonk, Massachusetts plans to reopen early July.

“The YMCA of Greater Providence has served the community for more than 165 years, during which we have made it through many challenging times together, none perhaps as impactful for our community and our Y as this COVID crisis,” said Steven G. O’Donnell, CEO, YMCA of Greater Providence. “We are thrilled to begin reopening our facilities, welcoming back our members and the community, and getting back to what we do best – helping everyone reach their full potential,” O’Donnell said.

Y locations in Barrington, Kent County, and South County will reopen Thursday, June 4 with the East Side/Mt. Hope and Cranston facilities reopening shortly thereafter on June 8. The Newman YMCA in Seekonk, Massachusetts will reopen early July. Summer Camp for all Rhode Island locations will begin June 29. The Newman YMCA is currently awaiting further guidance from Massachusetts officials regarding summer camp details.

In preparation for reopening facilities, The YMCA of Greater Providence has been following guidelines from health experts and local officials to ensure all components of facilities, including fitness equipment and areas, locker rooms, visitor areas and office spaces, are cleaned and sanitized to meet the highest standards for hygiene and safety. The Y has also modified policies and programs to facilitate safe social distancing practices.

In addition to sanitation and social distance guidelines, the Y will also limit the number of members allowed in its facilities. Members will be required to schedule an appointment 24 hours in advance at www.bookaspot.org. Workouts will also be limited to a standard set of time blocks. New facility hours will be Monday through Friday 6:00am to 6:00pm and Saturday and Sundays 7:00am to 3:00pm.

“When we closed our facilities in March, we did so to protect the health and well-being of all our staff, volunteers, members and participants. As we now reopen our facilities, we do so with that same commitment to keeping everyone who enters our doors safe,” said O’Donnell.

“Our Y has always been more than a building. Our Y is about people – people from all backgrounds and walks of life who come together to improve their lives, nurture their families and strengthen their community,” said O’Donnell. “We are so incredibly grateful to the people who have stood by us throughout these challenging times. You were here for your community when it needed it most, and we remain here for you.”

For more information about reopening, membership renewal and reactivation and program registration, visit www.gpymca.org or follow your local Y’s Facebook page.

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About the Y

Driven by its founding mission, the Y has served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community for more than 175 years. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they’re from, by ensuring access to resources, relationship and opportunities for all to learn, grow and thrive. By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives and generations, the Y’s goal is to improve overall health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment and demonstrate the importance of connections in and across 10,000 communities nationwide. Learn more at ymca.net.

LAUNCHES Y PRINTS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS DURING DISTANCE LEARNING

[PROVIDENCE, RI, Friday, May 8, 2020]— The YMCA of Greater Providence announced Friday that print services, generously funded by the Janney Montgomery Scott, LLC., will be offered at select participating Y’s to help families with printing needs throughout distance learning.

THE Y HELPS PARENTS & KIDS COPE WITH DISTANT LEARNING

PROVIDES FREE WEEKLY WEBINARS WITH EASY-TO-IMPLEMENT TIPS.

PROVIDENCE, RI – Over the past few months, the shift to working from home and distance learning has been an adjustment for students, teachers, and parents alike. With the whole family spending the work and school day under one roof, the lines have become blurred between parent and teacher. Striking the right balance between getting your own work done and supporting your child’s emotional well-being throughout social distancing and virtual learning has been challenging.

The Y is launching a webinar series aimed to provide parents and children helpful strategies to navigate this overwhelming time. Ashley Szala, Behavior Specialist for the YMCA of Greater Providence, will kick off the first session Tuesday, May 19 at 9:00 pm via the YMCA of Greater Providence’s Facebook page.

“More than ever, we need to meet our children’s educational and social-emotional needs during this challenging time,” said Ashley Szala, Behavior Specialist for the YMCA of Greater Providence. “The Y is to creating a virtual village filled with support and simple tools designed to increase desired behaviors and reduce those that are standing in the way of your child’s success in the age of social distancing,” Szala said.

A recent Y survey uncovered the #1 challenge parents are facing is balancing working from home and supporting their child during distant learning. Tuesday’s Facebook Live will provide parents with actionable tips they can implement immediately to help build autonomy and confidence in their little ones.

“Ashley prides herself on identifying children’s strengths and empowering them to use those strengths to get ahead,” said Steven G. O’Donnell, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Providence. “Though the world may be unpredictable, one thing remains certain is the Y’s commitment to nurture the potential of children and ensure that everyone has access to the essentials needed to learn, grow, and thrive,” O’Donnell said.

Szala has been helping children and families across the country for over ten years. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education and a concentration in Early Childhood Education, Szala has worked as a Lead Therapists for in-home Applied Behavior Analysis programs, Behavior Specialist for developmental disability and behavioral classroom settings and also taught several preschool programs over the years.

Can’t make Tuesday’s Facebook Live event? The recorded video will be pinned to the top of the YMCA of Greater Providence Facebook page for later viewing access.

STAY CONNECTED WHILE PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING

THE Y MAY BE CLOSED TEMPORARILY, BUT WE’RE STILL HERE FOR YOU! THAT’S WHY WE’RE SO EXCITED TO LAUNCH ONLINE EXERCISES TO SUPPORT YOUR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING FROM HOME WITH YMCA360.

Don’t let COVID-19 slow you down. Physical activity is essential in maintaining a higher quality of life and independence. Regular exercise provides many practical benefits, including reducing the risk of diseases and conditions such as diabetes, osteoporosis, coronary artery disease and high blood pressure. Stronger muscles, better balance and coordination, and higher energy levels all work together to maintain or improve basic living skills.

RISE AND SHINE
This workout can be completed with just a sturdy chair and a stable back (11 minutes).
WEIGHTS
This energizing workout utilizes a sturdy chair and free weights (27 minutes).
RESISTANCE TUBE
Increase strength with the use of a sturdy chair and a resistance tube. (27 minutes).
TAI CHI
This unique martial art is for all ages and levels. Tai Chi promotes strength, coordination, posture, concentration, and energy level.
YOGA
With different levels for everyone, Y yoga is an effective combination of traditional movements and mindfulness using flexibility, breathing and strength.

RECHARGE WITH THE Y FROM HOME

Find a sense of peace and connection with your body while releasing tension with this at-home video series led by PMA-certified Pilates instructor, certified Breathwork facilitator and Clinical Qigong practitioner, Tutu Mora (Dorothy).

YMCA VETERAN, TRICIA DRISCOLL TO STRENGTHEN THE SOUTH KINGSTOWN Y COMMUNITY

[South Kingstown, RI – Monday, May 4, 2020] The YMCA of Greater Providence announced today that Tricia Driscoll has been named Executive Director of the South County YMCA in South Kingstown, Rhode Island filling a vital role in bringing the Y to the forefront of cultivating strong community partnerships and improving the well-being of members.

“I work for the Y because we are stronger together,” said Driscoll. “The Y is all about bringing people together to enhance overall health and wellness, social engagement, and help overcome community challenges,” Driscoll said.

Driscoll is a 20-year Y veteran with a passion for people and the communities she serves. She began her Y career as an After-School Site Coordinator at Forest Park Elementary School at the South County YMCA in 1992 and since then, has served in various leadership roles at several Y’s throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Most recently, Driscoll served as the Operations Director at the Bayside Family YMCA in Barrington, Rhode Island, working to ensure that the Y is a strong community partner throughout the East Bay.

Over the course of Driscoll’s career, she has consistently risen to support communities in time of crisis. In 2005, she and a team from the YMCA of Greater Providence provided emergency child care to families in need during the New Orleans flooding. In 2009 Driscoll delivered flu vaccines to community centers throughout Rhode Island. Today, she is on the front lines delivering food to those sheltered at home during COVID-19.

“Tricia brings decades of Y experience and is a tremendous addition to the South County YMCA and the South Kingstown community,” said Steven G. O’Donnell, YMCA of Greater Providence CEO. “Her positive leadership and proven track record of success will serve as a catalyst for positive change in the community,” O’Donnell said.

Driscoll is heavily active in several community organizations such as, Barrington Parks and Recreation Commission, Bristol Health Equity Zone Steering Committee, and member of The B.A.Y. Team, East Bay Regional Coalition, and Rotary Club of Warren-Barrington.

ABOUT THE SOUTH COUNTY YMCA

The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility with a mission of nurturing the potential of children and families, improving our community’s health and well-being, and providing opportunities to give back and support neighbors. The Y has long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but also deliver, lasting personal and social change. Learn more at ymcagreaterprovidence.org.

COVID-19: COMBAT STRESS AND ANXIETY WITH EXERCISE

WITH SO MUCH OF THE WORLD IN LOCKDOWN, ANXIETY IS A NATURAL RESPONSE. REGULAR EXERCISE WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS HELPING

Talk to anyone these days and they will say a version of the same thing: these are the strangest times. For most of us the new rules – being confined to home, prevented from traveling, banned from congregating in public, and asked to “physically distance” ourselves even from loved ones – are utterly unique and unprecedented.

They can also be highly stressful, and the “psychology of uncertainty” is a well-known phenomenon. People will react differently to a situation such as this, and avoiding obsessive news and social media consumption may be one way to manage stress. Similarly, simple coping techniques for working from home and self-isolation can help.

But as everyone who exercises regularly already knows, some of the main benefits of working out are the impacts it has on your sense of mental wellbeing. Many fitness professionals will even tell you that their primary motivation is the effect exercise has on their mood, with the physical benefits a happy by-product of that.

SUPPORT BRAIN HEALTH

In truth, our physical and mental health are intertwined – and staying active is one of the fundamental ways we maintain emotional and cognitive resilience. Put simply, when we exercise, our bodies release a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that improves the health of our brain cells.As neuroscientist Maurice Curtis explains, “The general principle at play is that when you exercise you’re much more likely to cause the brain to make new brain cells.”

MODERATION WORKS

You don’t have to work out like an elite athlete – in fact, moderation (shorter workouts, three or four times a week) seems to be a key to improved mental wellbeing. A recent study found that adding 20 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise to your morning routine can provide an immediate mood boost – with the effects lasting up to 12 hours. Low impact activity such as walking is also known to lower stress and anxiety levels.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Key to both physical and mental health is establishing good sleep patterns – exercise will help you sleep better, but sleep will also help you exercise more successfully, so it is a virtuous circle. There is even a suggestion that increased mindfulness – or, to be specific, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) – helps maintain a regular physical exercise routine.

You can access a series of free guided meditations here.

OUTDOORS OR INDOORS

With so many of us now confining ourselves to home and working remotely, the challenge is finding new ways to exercise if our old routines have been disrupted. But remember, nature has not been cancelled – if we observe the correct protocols, getting outdoors (for a run if that is possible, or simply to work out) is a proven boost for physiological and psychological health. And with excellent on-demand workouts available, working out from home has never been easier.

We know exercise is one of the best medicines, and supporting our mental wellbeing is one of the major ways it helps us through the tough times to a better place.

To help you stay active and work out at home we’re offering you free access to LES MILLS On Demand. Start today.