This summer, the Armed Services YMCA launched an exciting partnership with the First Coast YMCA, making the First Coast Y the first Armed Services affiliate in Florida! Together, the ASYMCA and the First Coast Y will bring enhanced services to military families in the Jacksonville area, including no and low-cost summer camp opportunities for nearly 500 children of junior enlisted service members in the First Coast Y’s five-county service area.
Jacksonville is home to the third largest military population in the nation, with over 40,000 active duty personnel. With 12 branch locations across the five-county region, the First Coast Y is in a unique position to serve as a central support system for Jacksonville’s military community.
“The First Coast Y recognizes the unique needs of Jacksonville’s large military population, and we want to demonstrate our support for the military community by partnering with the Armed Services YMCA,” said YMCA of Florida’s First Coast President and CEO Eric K. Mann. “We are working hard to provide an environment for military personnel and their families where kids can make friends… and thrive within our First Coast Y community.”
The First Coast YMCA offers summer day camps but few camp experiences are as special as their resident camp -- Camp Immokalee. Military children move six to nine times during their school career, making summer camp a significant opportunity and safe space where lifelong friendships can blossom. The summer camp program at Camp Immokalee does an excellent job of fostering new and lasting relationships, as campers engage in a variety of interactive social, educational and physical activities. Daily activities ranging from water sports to horseback riding help them discover more about themselves and weekly themes build camaraderie as teams engage in friendly competition. In addition to daily activities, every child enrolled in a First Coast Y summer camp receives free Safety Around Water instruction to build their swimming skills and are encouraged to participate in an “Invention Convention” as a part of the YMCA’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) initiative.
“We are very excited to continue our camp initiative that has allowed over 2,000 military children across the country to attend camp this summer,” said William French, President of the Armed Services YMCA. “We know that partnering with the First Coast Y will aid us in our mission of strengthening the military family and create more accessible opportunities within Jacksonville's robust military community."
For more information about the First Coast YMCA, please visit www.firstcoastymca.org. For more information about Camp Immokalee call 352-473-4213.
Interested in signing your child up for an ASYMCA or affiliate summer camp program? Contact your local ASYMCA and/or ASYMCA affiliate for details on dates and location. Eligibility criteria varies by camp location.
If you or your company is interested in supporting ASYMCA Camps and Camping, contact Ashish Vazirani, ASYMCA's Chief Development Officer via email at avazirani@asymca.org
ABOUT ASYMCA:
The Armed Services YMCA is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit that serves active duty military members and their families. In 2017, we registered more than 250,000 participants and delivered more than 1.3 million points of services to junior enlisted Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, Coast Guardsmen and family members at 200 service centers in 18 states. Whether providing respite child care for parents in need, summer camps for kids, or assisting with emergency needs, the Armed Services YMCA is a nonprofit with a mission: Strengthening Our Military Family. Visit our website to see how you can join us in supporting military families.
