Bixby Reaches Out to Military Families
GIVING BACK: The Daily Family YMCA of Bixby is participating in the national effort of providing memberships to military families.
As part of the new Armed Services YMCA and Department of Defense Outreach Initiative, Daily Family YMCA of Bixby will provide military families with access to youth development, family strengthening, and health and well-being programs at community YMCAs nationwide. Membership fees will be underwritten by the Department of Defense and administered through Military OneSource, an information and referral service for military families. YMCA of the USA, the national resource office for America’s 2,686 YMCAs, will help launch the initiative at participating YMCAs across the country.
“The Daily Family YMCA is happy to help meet the critical needs facing families of deployed military service members,” says Jeri Strange, CEO, Daily Family YMCA of Bixby. Families are the most affected when a loved one gets deployed, so we are deeply committed to providing them with the support they need.”
The Armed Services YMCA and Department of Defense Outreach Initiative responds to a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, which requires the Secretary of Defense to develop a plan to support military family readiness and to ensure that military family readiness programs and activities are available to all military families, including those of the National Guard and Military Reservists.
Eligible military families participating in the initiative are eligible for YMCA memberships based on participation requirements. Those eligible to participate in the new initiative include all interested families of joint deployed National Guard and Reserves of all military branches.
Families living in newly established Joint Base Realignment and Closure bases and Active Duty Independent Duty station personnel and their families are also eligible. Lastly, relocated spouses and family members of deployed Active Duty personnel are encouraged to participate.
“The YMCA has a long history of supporting military service members and their families – since the Civil War – so it was natural for us to join this initiative,” says Strange. “During this time of conflict, it is more important than ever that we continue providing services and support to these families in the absence of a deployed spouse.”
More information about the Armed Services YMCA and Department of Defense Outreach Initiative can be found by visiting www.asymca.org. For information about the Daily family YMCA, visit www.dailyymca.org.
Updated 01-12-2010
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