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Serving those who serve the country

The Armed Services YMCA of the USA branch in San Diego supports junior enlisted military services members and their families, serving nearly 16,000 individuals in 2023. For many families, long deployments, rapid schedule changes and other parts of the military lifestyle pose barriers to being a dual-income household, including reliable child care.

A ��ɫ����Ƶ Foundation Community Possible multiyear grant helps fund programs such as the After-School Achievement Academy and Camp Hero, which provide access to affordable, high-quality child care. The programs make it easier for military spouses to secure and maintain jobs while offering academic and social support to military youth.

“At the Armed Services YMCA San Diego, our mission is to support the brave men and women who serve our country by providing essential services and resources that strengthen the military family unit,” said Frank Martin, executive director of Armed Services YMCA San Diego.

“Thanks to the ��ɫ����Ƶ Foundation’s Community Possible grant, we can continue to provide vital programs like Camp Hero and After-School Achievement Academy,” Martin said. “This extended-day childcare supports dual-military and single parent households and promotes economic self-sufficiency while fostering social, emotional and academic well-being for military children. We’re proud to make a positive impact in our community and grateful for our collaboration with ��ɫ����Ƶ and the ��ɫ����Ƶ Foundation in doing so.”

Families also can participate in a semi-monthly food distribution program and annual military spouse symposium, which help address food security challenges and deliver financial literacy, education and career resources to enhance workforce readiness. ��ɫ����Ƶ employees will host the financial literacy workshop for this year’s symposium.

Amanda Gregory, who works on the ��ɫ����Ƶ alliances team and has a spouse serving in the U.S. Navy, said she knows how valuable these resources can be for military families. She serves on the Armed Services YMCA San Diego’s board, where she lends her expertise to the finance committee.

“It’s amazing to see the meaningful impact that the support and thoughtful collaboration the Armed Services YMCA San Diego provides to our local military families. I love being a part of this work,” Gregory said. “I understand the unique challenges that come with raising a family in the military. Between deployments, moving to a new city and the constant unknowns, anything we can do to provide a source of consistency and support to this community is huge.”

The ��ɫ����Ƶ Foundation will continue to provide Community Possible grants throughout 2024. Last year, ��ɫ����Ƶ donated $96.4 million in total corporate contributions and ��ɫ����Ƶ Foundation giving.

*��ɫ����Ƶ Foundation is a tax-exempt private foundation described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation is funded primarily through contributions from ��ɫ����Ƶ National Association and its affiliates and subsidiaries. The Foundation’s mission is to close the gaps between people and possibility in the areas of work, home, and play.