YMCA News Archive

YMCA Offers Programs to Improve Healthy Eating and Nutrition Practices

jeffrey.needham — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 21:39:49 +0000

YMCA Offers Programs to Improve Healthy Eating and Nutrition Practices jeffrey.needham Wed, 03/28/2018 - 16:39

YMCA Offers Programs to Improve Healthy Eating and Nutrition Practices

In the United States, the percentage of children and adolescents affected by obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s. Data from 2015-2016 show that nearly 1 in 5 school age children and young people (6 to 19 years) in the United States has obesity.
More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7 percent) are obese.
Six in 10 children didn't eat enough fruit and 9 in 10 didn’t enough vegetables in 2007-2010.
Hunger and food insecurity (i.e., reduced food intake and disrupted eating patterns due to a lack of household income and other resources for food) might increase the risk for lower dietary quality and undernutrition. In turn, undernutrition can negatively affect overall health, cognitive development and school performance.

The YMCA of the North, a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, offers educational and experiential programs to improve healthy eating and nutritional practices for all ages.

Studies show proper nutrition promotes the optimal growth and development of children. Healthy eating also helps prevent high cholesterol and high blood pressure, and helps reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes as people age.

“The Y’s commitment to healthy living is reflected in our food philosophy for our employees, members, participants, volunteers and community,” said Glen Gunderson, president and CEO for the Y. “We believe that proper nourishment helps our body and mind develop to its full potential and allows us to perform and feel our best and help us thrive.”

Gunderson added that the YMCA offers an array of healthy eating and nutrition programs for all ages and backgrounds, including:

Healthy Living Kitchens – Nutritionists and health/wellness professionals share how food can be used to benefit a person’s body to boost energy, fight inflammation or reduce stress. Cooking classes give an opportunity for kids, adults and families to learn how food can be used to benefit their body.
Healthy Kids Programs – Youth learn about healthy eating, nutrition and physical activity while in Y care. During the 2016-2017 academic year, 86 percent of young people who experienced Healthy Kids initiative strategies improved or maintained high in at least one healthy eating practice (consumption of fruits/vegetables, more whole grains, etc.).
Family Cooking Classes - Cooking together encourages openness to new and exciting experiences with food. From learning the basics to exploring cultural cuisine and advanced baking skills, children will learn how to serve up their own healthy meals and snacks at home.
Camp Cooking Classes – Kids develop their camping skills by learning how to build a fire and cook over it. Campers receive lessons in outdoor cooking safety, cooking techniques, and the essentials for making healthy snacks and scrumptious meals in the great outdoors.
ForeverWell Programs – From cooking classes to grocery store tours, ForeverWell participants learn about best food options for mental clarity and physical strength.
Food Support Programs –The Y and community partners collaborate together to provide nutritious meals and snacks that contribute to the wellness, healthy growth and development of children in out-of-school-time programs.

Discover how Maxfield Elementary School Y Scholars learn about cultural food by cooking alongside their teacher – Healthy Eating Habits Start Early.

See how a nutritionist in the Healthy Living Kitchen teaches about starting your day with a whole foods, plant-based breakfast – Healthy Living Means Healthy Eating.

Learn how Y ForeverWell members participate in a cooking class to learn new skills and nutritional benefits from community partner Family Fresh – Cooking Healthy Food for a Better Us.

Nutritional recipes shared in the videos are available here:

Because the Y is a leading nonprofit committed to helping all people thrive, financial assistance is available to those in need. With the generous support of community members, the Y ensures that all have the opportunity to participate. To learn more about the Y’s programs, please visit ymcamn.org.

Parents on the art of summer scheduling: 'The stress I feel keeps me up at night'

jeffrey.needham — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Parents on the art of summer scheduling: 'The stress I feel keeps me up at night' jeffrey.needham Mon, 03/19/2018 - 00:00

As the parent of a 6- and a 9-year-old, Jen Swanson has mastered the art of summer scheduling. Right after Christmas, she starts gathering camp and activity information and is ready to pounce the moment camp registration opens at the start of the year.

“The competitiveness of getting into top-choice summer camps is insane,” the New Brighton woman said. “But I want to make sure they are being challenged and not just sitting around all day.”

In today’s overscheduled, overachieving, high-tech society, keeping summer carefree (and screen-free) is a challenge. For many parents in the Twin Cities area, the 12 or so weeks of summer are less about sleeping in and sunshine, and more about calendars and carpools.

Despite logging onto her two laptops, iPad and iPhone minutes before registration started at 6 a.m., Swanson was able to get only one of her sons into the coveted Battle Bots camp through the University of Minnesota. Three minutes later, the camp was full, landing her other son 13th in line on a waiting list.

As a result, neither of Swanson’s sons will get to attend their top choice camp, because “from a sanity perspective, I can’t handle two different drop-offs,” she said.

To improve her chances next year, Swanson said her husband will join the early morning registration ritual, each signing up one child simultaneously.

“This is what we are reduced to,” she said. “The level of stress I experience in January and February keeps me up at night.”

Lucky for the Swansons and thousands of other families in search of ways to fill their kids’ summer schedules, the opportunities are endless. With so many options, parenting in the summer can sometimes feel like a competitive sport, rather than the laid back summers that parents remember.

“I grew up in rural Minnesota, where I never had those opportunities to attend camp, so this is a very different mind-set for me,” said Darin Broton, an Eagan father of two, ages 6 and 22 months. “I also know that my son enjoys these things immensely, and he has learned so much — whether it’s through athletics or Scouts, it’s about building strong relationships and social skills.”

Then there are the weeks with grandparents, the family vacation and downtime to do nothing — all of that has to be scheduled, too.

To meet the growing demand from parents, camps in the Twin Cities area have increased their offerings. At Three Rivers Park District, families have more than 250 camps to choose from — everything from Fairies and Gnomes camp to “Survivor” camp.

“Our summer camps program has seen tremendous growth [more than 500 percent] over the last 10 years,” said Ryan Barth, the outdoor education supervisor. “People want outdoor programming in a safe environment where their kids can catch critters in a pond or meet a snake at a nature center.”

Meeting demand

Camp as day care is another reason for the boom.

“Parents need somewhere for their kids to go,” Barth said.
According to data from the Pew Research Center, dual-income households with young children in the U.S. have become more commonplace over the past six decades, going from 25 percent in 1960 to 60 percent in 2012.

YMCA Twin Cities also has expanded its offerings. As the largest day camp provider in the state, YMCA offers summer programs that range from half-days to full days with before and after child-care options available.

“At the end of the day, everyone wants to have well-balanced kids, and getting them out in nature, involved in different experiences, is something that parents look for,” said Diana Mulvihill, senior director of marketing for YMCA Twin Cities youth programs. “Parents are looking for ways to get kids away from the screen; they are so addicted to it and we’re realizing the detriments of that.”

Of course, a calendar full of camps isn’t for everyone. Between work, family vacations, logistics and financial restraints, adding summer camp may be too much.

After spending some time with camp guides, a notebook and calculator, Broton decided that less was more: “We’re only doing one camp per month to make sure our son isn’t overscheduled and we’re not going broke.”

Wondering how other families tackle the stress of summer scheduling? Read on for tips from local parents and camp directors.

1. Go outside the comfort zone
Involve your kids in the decisionmaking process, but also think outside the box of what they typically like to do. “Research shows that the more variety your child can get, the more resilient they are,” Mulvihill said. If you’re still feeling overwhelmed, talk to other parents about the camps their children have attended. Arrange to have your child attend the same camp as a friend. Coordinating with friends or neighbors can help with transportation, too.

2. Start early
In the world of summer scheduling, even the early birds don’t always get the worm. Popular camps with limited spots are coveted by kids and parents alike, and sometimes it’s the luck of the draw. To improve your chances, start gathering camp guides as soon as they come out — often as early as December and January. Block your calendar for the day registration opens.

3. Get creative with scheduling
If you’re lucky enough to have a job with flexible scheduling, consider adjusting your schedule in the summer to accommodate pickup or drop-off times. “There is a lot of shifting and scheduling,” said Twin Cities parent Stephanie Duggan. “We just piecemeal it together and hope it works.” While many camps have hours inconvenient for dual-working families, more are starting to offer before and after care hours. Other options: carpooling, bringing your kids back to work with you or enlisting the help of grandparents or a babysitter.

4. Look for discounts
Many summer camps require partial or full payment at the time of registration.

“There is definitely a sticker shock factor,” said Duggan, who estimated that she will spend $4,000 on activities, day care and camps for her two children. Ask about scholarships and financial aid. Many camps also offer reduced rates for registering early and sibling discounts, too. Under IRS guidelines, day camps are considered a work-related expense and can be covered with funds set aside in a dependent care flexible spending account.

5. Resist the urge to overschedule
“Sometimes I think we create our own drama around summer scheduling,” Swanson said. “I have to step back sometimes. ... My kids would have a perfectly fun summer not doing programs that are so competitive to get into.”

6. Schedule downtime
Whether it’s a week with grandpa and grandma, a week of family vacation or a week of doing nothing at all, don’t forget to include time for what summer is all about: rest and relaxation.

7. Don’t assume it’s too late
While many of the more popular camps are likely to be full by now, there are many camps with availability. Barth estimated that 60 percent of the camps at Three Rivers still have space. And like anything else in life, Mulvihill said: “If you’re flexible, there’s a good chance you can still get what you want.”

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The YMCA: One Mom’s Respite in an Otherwise Chaotic World

jeffrey.needham — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 05:00:00 +0000

The YMCA: One Mom’s Respite in an Otherwise Chaotic World jeffrey.needham Fri, 03/16/2018 - 00:00

At first, we came to our local YMCA seeking swim instruction.

Once our kids finally agreed to ditch water wings and get their heads wet without making a federal case about it, we wanted to build on that confidence ASAP. Price was a factor. A month’s worth of swimming lessons at the Y cost about as much as pizza night.

A bonus: Like most Ys, this one offered reliable child care while I exercised. Like, actually exercised. No more squeezing miles and yoga classes into life’s random corners, or loading up the bike trailer with books, stuffed buddies, snacks, water bottles, a potty chair, oh, and both kids, to push it during a run to the park and back. My heart leapt at the promise of untethered treadmill miles, even a long, warm communal shower in flip-flops, while exactly no one called me “Mom.”

Our family slipped in among gray-haired morning regulars, afternoon basketballers, cardio-committed, aspiring swimmers, and parents texting poolside in the steamy, chlorinated air. Together, we were a distillation of the southeast metro working-class community, across age, color, and BMI. We united for low-cost personal betterment.

The facility itself isn’t anything fancy. It’s one of the smaller, older Ys, with a pool, gym, and fitness area—no twisty waterslide, lobby fireplace, or rooftop deck. But it’s almost never too busy to get a treadmill, the kid-care staff teaches crafts and old-school card games, and you can connect with a trainer you don’t want to A) punch, or B) hide from.

Greater than the physical building is the humanity that unfolds inside as we stretch, sweat, and shower alongside our neighbors. I once overheard a front-desk worker’s canned, “How are you today?” elicit an unconvincing, “So-so.” She asked if he needed a hug. His yes was believable. She emerged from behind the desk to deliver a solid embrace that gave me hope for us all.

Then there’s the night that I left the locker room near closing after a really long day. My second child—the littlest one, whom I tucked into that thousand-pound bike trailer—had started kindergarten, and the weary days spent cobbling together work and kid time were gone. Happily, yes, but sadly, too. Even with post-workout endorphins pumping, I felt heavy with loss, overwhelmed with possibility, and confused at how it was still so hard, somehow, to fit everything into one day.

A grandfatherly man walking toward me said, “You look pretty tired.”

“Yeah,” I managed, shifting my gym bag. “I am.”
He looked me in the eye and said, “Well, I’m proud of you.”

I didn’t realize those words were something I needed to hear until the lump swelled in my throat. Life can seem so hard, and then so gentle sometimes, too. It helps to have a place where your needs feel met, whether that means getting regular exercise, a little empathy, a few minutes in the sauna with your book, or watching your kid do the front crawl all the way across the pool. Finally.

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YMCA, Minnesota Youth Leadership Council and Minnesota Department of Human Services Host First Ever Foster Child and Youth Day on the Hill on March 12

jeffrey.needham — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 19:00:54 +0000

YMCA, Minnesota Youth Leadership Council and Minnesota Department of Human Services Host First Ever Foster Child and Youth Day on the Hill on March 12 jeffrey.needham Thu, 03/08/2018 - 13:00

YMCA, Minnesota Youth Leadership Council and Minnesota Department of Human Services Host First Ever Foster Child and Youth Day on the Hill on March 12

St. Paul, MN – The YMCA of the North, a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, is partnering with the Minnesota Youth Leadership Council and the Minnesota Department of Human Services to host the first ever Foster Child and Youth Day on the Hill on March 12 to advocate for foster child and youth rights.

This event is for youth to have a voice on the pressing issues they experience in the foster care system. A youth summit and training will take place at the Capitol Ridge hotel from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. to prepare the youth for meetings with legislators. At 1 p.m. the group of more than 125 youth and adult allies from across the state of Minnesota will march to the State Capitol for a rally in the Rotunda. The rally will include legislator greetings and youth with foster care experiences sharing their story.

The focus of the day will be educating legislators on the top three national priority issues identified by youth with foster care experience: Foster Parent Training, Living Independently and Sibling Connections. The critical issue of the day will be asking legislators for support for an upcoming bill being put forward for the Foster Care Sibling Bill of Rights. Despite federal laws requiring that states place siblings together whenever possible, nearly 75 percent of siblings who enter foster care nationally end up being separated from at least one of their siblings. This bill, which was drafted by Minnesota foster care youth, will protect the rights of siblings in foster care to stay connected.

Foster Child and Youth Day on the Hill was planned in partnership with a committee representing youth and adult allies from the following agencies: YMCA of the North, Minnesota Youth Leadership Council, Minnesota Department of Human Services, Family Alternatives, The Bridge for Youth, Connections To Independence, North Homes Children and Family Services, and Evolve Adoption and Family Services

WHO:
YMCA of the North, Minnesota Youth Leadership Council and Minnesota Department of Human Services

WHAT:
Foster Child and Youth Day on the Hill

WHEN AND WHERE:
Monday, March 12
9 a.m.-1 p.m. - Capitol Ridge Hotel at 161 St. Anthony Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55103
1-1:30 p.m. - March to State Capitol
1:30-2:20 P.M. – Minnesota State Capitol Rally in the Rotunda at 75 Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul MN 55155

About the YMCA of the North

The YMCA of the North is a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Established 161 years ago, the Ys provide life-strengthening services across the greater Twin Cities metro region, southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin communities. The 29 Y locations and program sites, seven overnight camps, 10 day camps, and more than 90 child care sites engage more than 350,000 men, women and children of all ages, incomes and backgrounds. To learn more about the Y’s mission and work, visit www.ymcamn.org.