River Valley Regional YMCA

The River Valley Regional (“RVR”) YMCA was officially formed in July of 2006. It is a conglomeration of YMCAs here in the area that have banded together in order to better serve our communities. We are comprised of four branches: The Williamsport Branch YMCA, the Bradford County Branch YMCA (in Towanda), the Eastern Lycoming Branch YMCA (in Muncy), and the Jersey Shore Branch YMCA. In addition, we have three stand alone child care centers (Lock Haven, Jersey Shore, and Loyalsock) as well as over 25 additional program sites through collaborations.

The YMCA is not a “gym and swim”. The YMCA is not a community center.

The YMCA is a WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE that take direct action to make LOCAL COMMUNITIES a better place. The majority of what we do is done through volunteer efforts and donations. Local volunteers determine community needs and then find the way and resources to implement programs and services to address them.

What Does the YMCA Do?

Everything we do revolves around three things:
Youth Development Personal Health Social Responsibility

Our YMCA is the largest provider of preschool and school-age child care in the region; providing high-quality/affordable care to more than 1,500 children daily. We have six preschool child care sites, 18 before/after-school program sites, and twelve summer day camp sites throughout Lycoming, Bradford, Sullivan and Clinton Counties. Our YMCA also offers access to personal health and well being through facility memberships, teen leadership programs, youth and adult sports leagues, senior programs, swim lessons, family camping, before- and after-school programming in local schools, etc. The RVR YMCA also has an ongoing collaborative agreement with the City of Williamsport that empowers us to run free summer park program in the summer for inner city youth. The full array of YMCA programs and services can be found on the RVR YMCA website: www.rvrymca.org

From preschool child care to senior fitness classes, the YMCA offers opportunities for individuals and families to grow in spirit, mind and body at every life stage. The YMCA recognizes that a strong part of our legacy is through the people we bring together -- Ys are for all people of all faiths, races, ages, abilities and incomes.

Mission & End Result

There is a famous YMCA saying from the 1930s: “It is better to build a strong boy today than to mend a broken man tomorrow”. Teaching children the values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility, remains a core part of the YMCA’s daily activities. The end result of the Y-programs on our city’s youth is very literally “life-transforming”. We are preparing/creating tomorrow’s leaders at our Y today.

The RVR YMCA has a profound effect on the human health, welfare and well being of the communities which we serve. From empowering single parents to be a part of the workforce through child care services, to the self-esteem that participation in various youth sports brings youth, to the mentoring done at our after-school and teen program, to the seniors that benefit socially from Y-Active Older Adult Programs, to the youth that receive the free food program lunches in the summer time, to the anti-drug/anti-gang programs in the inner city, (I could go on and on…) our YMCA has a direct positive impact on the children, adults, seniors, families, and our community.

The YMCA is for Everybody

All YMCAs adhere to a strict philosophy that we do not turn anyone away due to inability to pay for our programs/services/membership. With this in mind, in 2009 The RVR YMCA was able to help local people in over $600,000 worth of discounted services (mostly preschool child care). Our YMCA also acts as a “conduit” for other agencies that help people. In 2010, the amount of indirect aid that we gave was $1,300,000. All combined, the RVR YMCA granted assistance to people both directly and indirectly of more than $2,000,000 in 2009.

YOU CAN HELP

Volunteer at the YMCA. Join the YMCA. Make a donation to the YMCA. Advocate for the YMCA.