Giving
The YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh is a nationally affiliated, character-building association, focusing on program services for individuals and families. As one of the largest human service agencies in Allegheny County, the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh serves individuals of all ages, race and religions. Its programs address the needs of adults and children including the mentally and physically disabled and it is the largest provider of childcare in Western Pennsylvania. This would not be possible without the support of generous people in our community. If you are interested in support opportunities, click here or call, 412-227-3828.
Donations can be mailed to:
YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh
Attn. Development Office
420 Fort Duquesne Boulevard, Suite 625
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
For more information about giving opportunities, contact Pat Siger.
Campaign for Strong Communities
Every day, gifts to the Campaign for Strong Communities make a difference in someone’s life. Each gift is used to provide scholarships to people in our community who are experiencing financial difficulty. In fact, each year the need exceeds the funds that we raise and we draw on other sources to close the gap. The YMCA is committed to ensuring that our programs are available to anyone who would like to use them.
We believe that our programming lays the groundwork for healthy futures, builds a sense of community, and conveys the values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. Yes, children learn to swim, kids have somewhere to go after school and we teach about healthy lifestyles, but the YMCA is far more than that. We are a place where kids find direction, families come together and people rally to make a difference.
You may direct your gift to your local branch or to the general Metro Campaign which supports the outreach work of our urban branches. To make a gift, call 412-227-3828, email Jennifer Rignani print the attached form and mail it to:
YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh
Attn. Development Office
420 Fort Duquesne Boulevard, Suite 625 Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program
The YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh has several programs that have been approved through the Department of Education and Community Development.
Our four approved Educational Improvement programs, Contain, Maintain & Connect, Deer Valley Environmental Education Program, Starfish, and Youth & Government, make an important contribution to the education of students in Western Pennsylvania. In 2005,
- 76% of the student who participated in Starfish raised their scores on DIBELS literacy assessment
- 2,300 students participated in programs at Camp Kon-O-Kwee enabling them to get hands-on exposure to environmental education topics
- Our Youth & Government program had 10 students elected to office for the 2006 Model Government Session and passed 2 bills.
We are also approved as a Pre-Kindergarten Scholarship Organization. Each year, over 350 children are served by our preschool programs. Our new standing as a Pre-Kindergarten Scholarship program will enable us to reach out to even more families while providing companies that support the YMCA with another way to help us build strong kids, strong families, and strong communities.
For more information about the EITC program, visit DCED web site or call Jennifer Rignani at 412-227-3828
Educational Improvement Programs
Contain, Maintain & Connect (Camp Kon-O-Kwee/Spencer) was designed to connect K-6 students with the environment through integrated and thematic environmental education lessons that instill a sense of wonder, appreciation, and stewardship of the natural world. All lessons are aligned with the National Science Education Standards as well as the State of Pennsylvania’ s Academic Standards and can be modified to meet the physical and learning abilities of children with special needs.
Outdoor Environmental Education (Deer Valley YMCA Family Camp) takes advantage of the unique environment and opportunities for outdoor learning available at Deer Valley and combines them with an educational program that meets the Academic Standards established by Pennsylvania for study of these important areas: Environment and Ecology, Science and Technology, Geography, History and Mathematics. Exposing students to scientific method is an integral part of the program. The program is designed for students in grades 4-7. All programs and facilities are handicapped accessible. Each session is a 3-day/2-night program.
Starfish (Association-wide) melds the YMCA’s long tradition of providing of summer day camps with literacy enrichment. The result is a unique program that makes reading fun with interactive activities that are physical in nature making it nothing like summer school. Research shows that if a child is not reading at grade level by the end of third grade they will begin having serious difficulty in school so this program targets students who are completing the 2nd grade and reading below grade level. It is designed to improve reading skills, enhance performance on the 3rd grade PSSA test and create lifelong readers.
Youth & Government (Collegiate Branch) brings the workings of state government to life for participating high school students. The program creates an opportunity for students to discuss current state issues with state administrators, elected officials, and students from 40 high schools and YMCA's throughout Pennsylvania. The involved students meet during the school year to identify social issues and problems and select those that they wish to resolve by writing legislative bills. Throughout this process the students work on their research and debate skills. The program culminates in a final three-day event held in April at the state capitol in Harrisburg. The conference is led by teens elected to office by their fellow delegates. The state provides facilities and volunteers act as resources for the students while they debate the issues.
Pre-Kindergarten Scholarship Program (Association-Wide) Our strength in early childhood education lies in the diversity and quality of our programming. We strive to meet the needs of many different families by offering programs that operate all year and others that operate only during the school year. We have both full-day and half-day programs. With 8 locations, we are able to offer families from throughout the region proximate care. And, of course, all of our Pre-K programs provide solid instructional and developmental activities each day. Examples of these activities include reading aloud, cooperative imaginative play, arts and crafts, music, sorting activities, puzzles, and outdoor play. Kids who participate in YMCA programs enter Kindergarten ready to learn.
Making A Difference
In the hustle and bustle of the holidays it’s easy to forget that some families in our community may not have the means to celebrate. The YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh is committed to making a difference in neighborhoods across the county through outreach and financial support. By DONATING NOW to the branch of your choice, you can help a child, senior or family in need. Please take a moment and know that by making a gift, you are making a difference. Thank you.
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