Tag: social services

National Nonprofit Day

Posted on Updated on by Amber Fox

This is what your YMCA does for you, and why your gift matters

When a neighbor needs child care so they can keep a job, when a teen needs a safe place after school, when a senior needs community to fight loneliness, nonprofits show up. Today we celebrate National Nonprofit Day, which makes it the perfect moment to talk plainly about why nonprofits matter in Berks County and how your gift to the YMCA of Reading & Berks County turns into real help for real people.

YMCA teacher and preschooler coloring a picture together in a cheerful classroom as part of affordable early learning in Berks County.

Why this day is on the calendar?

National Nonprofit Day is observed every year on August 17 to spotlight the impact of organizations that serve the public good. The date nods to an early federal policy that recognized the value of charitable work and helped set the stage for modern nonprofit service. Advocates have championed this observance to raise awareness, thank volunteers and donors, and encourage communities to give, serve, and speak up for the causes they love. It is a reminder to invest in the places and people that make home feel like home.

Why nonprofits matter here at home

Nonprofits are built for community problem-solving. We step into the gaps that for-profit markets do not fill and public funding cannot fully cover. At the Y, that looks like financial assistance in child care so parents can work, youth development so kids grow with confidence, social services that steady families in crisis, and health and wellness that keep people moving and connected.

Every program the Y runs exists because a neighbor needed it. Every one of those programs is sustained by a mix of earned revenue and philanthropy. Our Annual Giving Campaign is the engine that makes sure a child is never turned away for inability to pay, that a family in transition still has support, and that community health is not just a slogan.

What your YMCA does in Berks County

Here is a snapshot of how support becomes impact right here at home:

  • Child care and early learning. Working parents rely on our Early Learning Centers and Before and After School programs to keep kids safe, learning, and loved. Scholarships from Annual Giving close the gap for families who need help.

  • Youth programs and summer camp. From camp activities to robotics tables, kids test courage, creativity, and leadership. One great day at camp can change the whole arc of a summer.

  • Safety around water and the swim team. The pool is a classroom for confidence and life-saving skills. It is also where local athletes shine. Our swim team’s strong performance at recent state and national championships shows what happens when coaching meets grit.

  • Healthy living for all ages. Group fitness, personal training, Les Mills GRIT, and wellness coaching help adults build habits that last. The membership scholarship fund keeps the doors open to neighbors who need the Y most.

  • Social services and stability. When life gets tough, our Social Services team closes the gap with free Parenting Pathways classes for  parents/guardians/role models; housing programs for men, women, and women with children; and practical care and support. Community initiatives like the member-led garden show what happens when people are given space and support to rebuild.

A YMCA swim instructor teaching a child to swim at the Reading YMCA

Real people. Real change.

Stories move us because they remind us who we are together. Here are a few moments from our community you can explore in more detail on our site.

  • Amy’s journey began in crisis. After struggling with addiction and surviving an abusive marriage, Amy was welcomed into the housing program at the YMCA of Reading & Berks County. In retrospect, it was Amy’s first real step toward a better life. Each stage of her life has involved the Y and has been as positive for Amy as her impact is for those around her.  
  • When Ariyah started school, she would cry uncontrollably, cling to her mom, and sometimes even try to run back out of the classroom. Now, after programming at the Y, she’s comfortable and confident, and can hug her mom and say goodbye. Her mom said the transformation has been incredible.
  • With Jeff’s medical condition, reaching toward the floor was too painful. After coming to the Y for movement exercises (and socializing with his new friends), he found that his physical limitations were decreasing. After not being able to touch his toes for years, he’d knocked something down and without thinking about it, reactively bent down and picked it up. It wasn’t until he stood back up that he thought, “What did I just do?!”

These are not one-time wins. They are the day-in and day-out outcomes your support creates.

Where your gift goes?

Transparency matters. Here is the short version of how giving fuels impact:

  • Scholarships lower the cost of child care, programs, and memberships for families who qualify. All children deserve the YMCA resources. Thanks to donations, they have access.

  • Program support keeps classes staffed, supplies stocked, and facilities safe and clean.

  • Community outreach brings programs to neighborhoods that need them most.

  • Emergency assistance helps families bridge short-term crises without losing hard-won stability.

If you have ever wondered whether a gift makes a difference, the answer at the Y is yes, every single time.

Why give today?

National Nonprofit Day is about more than awareness. It is about action. When you give to the YMCA of Reading & Berks County, you are investing in the health, safety, and potential of your neighbors. You are saying that every child deserves a strong start, every teen deserves a mentor, every adult deserves a community, and every senior deserves to be seen. You are saying you believe in the power of connection and making it happen.

Your gift to our Annual Giving Campaign stays local. It is stewarded carefully. It is matched to real needs. It gets to work immediately.

Three simple ways to help right now

  1. Give today. Make a one-time gift or set up a monthly donation that fits your budget. Small monthly gifts add up to big change.

  2. Tell your story. Share why you support the Y on social media and tag #ymcarbc. Your voice encourages the next donor.

  3. Bring a friend. Invite someone to tour a program, try a class, or volunteer at an event. Seeing impact up close makes all the difference.

A note of gratitude

If you have already given, volunteered, or cheered us on, thank you. Your generosity fuels kids who raise their hands in class because they finally feel confident. It fuels parents who can breathe a little easier on the night shift. It fuels seniors who find purpose and friends again. It fuels athletes who discover what they are capable of. It fuels gardens and graduations and the kind of ordinary magic that makes a community strong.

Ready to be part of the story?

Giving is not about fixing everything at once. It is about moving one life forward today. That is what nonprofits do best. That is what the Y does every day in Berks County. Join us.

Give to the Annual Giving Campaign
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Residents Revive the Reading YMCA Greenhouse

Posted on Updated on by Amber Fox

From Overgrown to Growing Strong:

Residents Revive the Reading YMCA Greenhouse

Residents from Reading YMCA organize and prep the YMCA greenhouse for planting.
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A few years ago, our greenhouse began as a collaboration between Childcare and Housing. Over time, the space grew quiet, and the beds sat unattended, needing a refresh.

This summer, our Social Services clients and residents changed that story.

Participants from Hacia, Men’s Bridge House, and our SRO programs rolled up their sleeves to clear debris, organize supplies, and restore the greenhouse. Shelves are tidy, tools are in place, and the beds are ready for planting. What started as a simple clean-up became a proud moment of teamwork and ownership.

There are no outside partners on this project. It is homegrown, led by the people who live here and use these spaces every day. Their work brings fresh purpose to a resource that serves health, learning, and community.

Next up is planting. The group is planning easy starter crops and simple care routines so the garden can grow through the season.

About the YMCA of Reading & Berks County

For 167 years, the YMCA of Reading & Berks County has been a cornerstone in the community, putting Judeo-Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. Driven by its founding mission, the Y is a nonprofit committed to strengthening the community and empowering individuals by ensuring access to resources, relationships, 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 among 2,700 Ys in 10,000 communities across the United States. The YMCA of Reading & Berks County operates branches in Adamstown, Mifflin, Reading, Sinking Spring and Tri Valley.

Reading YMCA Names New Director of Social Services and Director of Housing

Posted on by Ashley Shannon

Please join the Reading YMCA in congratulating both Ryan Herrera and Gena Pina-Garcia as they transition into their NEW roles in the Social Services Housing Division. 

Ryan has been promoted into the position of Executive Director of Social Services as of April 1, 2021.  Ryan began working part-time at the YMCA of Reading in 2009 as a Case Manager Assistant while finishing his degree in Psychology from Temple University. He was promoted in 2010 to oversee the County’s Second Offender DUI program and worked in that position until 2014.  In 2014, Ryan was given the opportunity to be part of the formation of Camp Joy; which at the time was a newly remodeled 20 bed transitional living facility serving males with substance use disorder that are also involved in the Berks County Criminal Justice System.  Since then, Ryan has overseen the development of Camp Joy’s Recovery Housing and its day to day operations while also working in a supervisory role as the Director of Social Services within the Housing Department at the YMCA of Reading. Ryan is a member of the Berks Opioid Coalition editorial board and is currently his final year of study at Millersville University where he is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology.

 Ryan holds multiple certifications from the Pennsylvania Certification Board including his CADC (Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor) and CRS (Certified Recovery Specialist) and was recognized for his work in the areas of addiction prevention and treatment at the 2018 Council on Chemical Abuse Yearly Conference.  

Ryan states, “I have always strived to serve anyone struggling to overcome a substance use disorder with compassion, empathy, and the inherent dignity that all human relationships are founded upon and I am very thankful for all of the opportunities that working at the YMCA has afforded me.”

Gena was promoted to the Director of Housing and Baby University effective May 1, 2021. Gena began her career at the YMCA in 2008 as a Parent Educator/Home visitor with Baby University and was then promoted into that program’s Director.  In addition, 5 years ago she was also asked to lead the Y Haven program.  After successful oversight of both programs, it was an easy decision to offer her this new overall Housing Director position. Gena holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Services with a certification in Addiction Studies, as well as an Associates in Psychology from Phoenix University.  She is also a certified parent educator through Rutgers University.

When asked what her “Y” is, Gena told us that it was “inspiring others to live their best life, encouraging those that are down, and spreading a little kindness wherever I go.”

She also wanted to share a bit of wisdom with all individuals pursuing a similar career path:  “People must connect with you before they can trust you; Always be you and never give up.”