The Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA was the latest stop Thursday in Luzerne County’s ongoing showcasing of American Rescue Plan funding recipients.
County council awarded $487,353 to the nonprofit to help with rising costs of providing childcare and food assistance to low-income children.
“We are thrilled — over the moon — to have your support,” YMCA development director Lindsay Landis said Thursday morning when greeting county officials in the historic YMCA building at the corner of Northampton and Franklin streets in Wilkes-Barre. ”We are growing by leaps and bounds but can’t do anything without partners.”
Council members Brian Thornton and Tim McGinley and county grant writer Michele Sparich participated in the tour.
Jim Thomas, chief executive officer of the nonprofit, told them 60% to 70% of the children served by the nonprofit are from low-income households.
The YMCA operates childcare programs in five locations throughout the county and summer breakfast/lunch programs at eight additional sites, serving up to 465 children daily, its American Rescue submission said. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased demand for subsidized childcare and food assistance services, it said.
County American Rescue funds will support costs for these programs beyond regular operating expenses, it said.
In addition to helping children, these programs contribute to the county’s economic recovery by enabling more parents to return to work, the YMCA said.
On Thursday’s tour, Landis stopped at the commercial kitchen, describing it as the “heart of the building.”
Children chowed down in their upstairs classrooms and did not offer to share when Thornton poked his head in one room and jokingly asked if there was any for him.
The nonprofit also holds a public food distribution program twice a month.
The group checked out the swimming pool, gym, a rooftop play area and parts of the building now housing 22 Wilkes University dormitory apartments with 59 beds that generate revenue to help sustain YMCA services.
Constructed in 1933, the Wilkes-Barre structure is 104,000 square feet and retains much of its character even though spaces have been reconfigured based on evolving needs, Thomas said.
“It’s unbelievable how unchanged it really is,” Thomas said.
“It’s a big old castle,” Landis said. “Something the YMCA does really well is adapt.”
Thornton recalled playing basketball in the building 40 years ago.
“I’m amazed at how many changes they made there and how they really adjusted with the times over the decades,” he said. “What a fantastic job they’ve done in changing uses in certain areas of the building.”
Thornton also was impressed with the volume of children participating in child care programs during the day and after school.
“They’ve got a great program there. I wish I had millions of dollars to contribute to them,” he said.
McGinley said he is pleased the county allocation will be invested in helping county children.
He also marveled at the YMCA’s success squeezing so many services under one roof, including swim classes, volleyball, basketball and pickleball.
“It’s unbelievable. They really made an effort to use every square inch of space that they have,” he said. “There are no dead areas.”
Childcare also is offered in Forty Fort and two locations in Pittston, McGinley noted. The YMCA is working on a capital campaign to reopen the YMCA in Hazleton, McGinley said.
“It’s really getting to be a countywide operation.,” McGinley said.
The county has been scheduling regular visits to American Rescue recipient sites because the public was largely in the dark about most of the $55 million in awards to 113 outside entities.