YMCA Canada

Together we can #EndTheStigma on #MentalHealth by joining the conversation. On Bell Let's Talk day, lets talk about how we can move mental health forward in Canada by promoting awareness, taking action, and supporting one another.

Congrats to YMCA Calgary on being recognized as one of Alberta's Top 70 Employers! A true embodiment of living YMCA values every day!

Prioritize your mental health by sharing your feel good moments with the YMCA of Eastern Ontario using #LoveYourselfActually during the month of February! This is a free, fun event, where anyone can participate and have the chance to win some cool prizes too! Register here: https://eo.ymca.ca/love-yourself

Parents with kids at home conducting online learning, CBC Ottawa has some tips to help you get through the next few weeks (or months if that was your decision). A reminder as well to celebrate the wins - no matter how small. You'll get through this!

Planning for 2021 may seem complicated, if not impossible, due to the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic. The Mental Health Commission of Canada Commission de la santé mentale du Canada has 5 practical tips that can help you with choosing goals and determining how to achieve them: https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/media/4416

There's still time to take part in YMCA Calgary's Lifting Spirits Challenge! Start your 2021 off right by completing 1 fitness and/or wellness based activity a day. https://www.ymcacalgary.org/liftingspirits/

Fitness super star Sherry Perez Fitness showed Breakfast Television Toronto a couple of useful workout options yesterday, which are part of the just launched YMCA of Greater Toronto and Participaction exercise video series. Check out www.sweatforgoodapp.ca if you're interested in finding out more!

How is your mental health these days? More than 9 months into the pandemic, anxiety for many is likely at an all time high. Here are some tips on YMCA Calgary's blog from Calgary Counselling Centre for dealing with the unknown during this time of uncertainty.

Good news Board members! The deadline to contribute to the Statistics Canada crowd-sourcing survey which seeks to learn more & measure diversity on charity and non-profit boards has been extended to January 18. There's still time to make sure your voice is heard!

Since the 1950s, the YMCA of Oakville has invested in reinvention and transformation in order to maintain their strong commitment to building a healthier community. And today, they are ready to be flexible and adapt to the changes that COVID has left. But help is needed to ensure the YMCA can continue to provide critical services now and well into the future.

Happy National Seniors Day! What better way to celebrate than to check out the YMCA of Greater Toronto's The Bright Spot, a fabulous, free online community dedicated to supporting older adults who are looking to stay healthy, active, and connected!

On Orange Shirt Day, we honour and commemorate residential school survivors and their experiences. We also reaffirm our commitment to building strong communities where every child matters, and to the ongoing process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and communities in Canada. https://www.canadashistory.ca//clas/every-child-matters-en

The YMCA of Newfoundland and Labrador has been a part of life in the province since 1854, engaging and helping residents from all backgrounds. No one is turned away from the YMCA because they can't pay fees. But the pandemic has put YMCAs across the country in a precarious place. Jason Brown, President & CEO shares his thoughts about how the community needs the YMCA to continue to do much needed work in response to the COVID-19 crisis and through the tough years to come.

This September 30th is Orange Shirt Day in Canada, a day dedicated to recognizing the harm that was done to Indigenous children who were sent away to residential schools. We hope you’ll join us in wearing an orange shirt on Wednesday in their honour. Learn more about Orange Shirt Day here: https://www.orangeshirtday.org/about-us.html

The YMCAs of Cambridge & Kitchener-Waterloo are incredibly lucky to have the support of Y Guys Care, a small but mighty community group that has come together with a simple, yet important goal - to raise funds so children can have a camp experience. The group says they have no plans of slowing down. They're as committed as ever to helping make sure youth at the Y have a chance to build friendships, be active, and develop confidence.

University student, Emma Bickerton spent her summer at the YMCA of Cumberland supporting her community by helping to oversee a food box program, which has been benefiting 130+ families weekly through more than 2,500 deliveries since March. "It's very rewarding to see the food come in and then all go out. It shows the need in the community and how we are meeting that."

While many online resources claim to improve mental wellness, do you know which ones actually deliver? To help you make better decisions and feel confident in the tools and supports you choose, the Mental Health Commission of Canada Commission de la santé mentale du Canada has provided the following questions to consider

What an incredible journey Bob has been on! It's so wonderful to hear that the YMCA of Okanagan has been able to support Bob in getting the exercise he needs to stay healthy and active and able to do all his favourite things!

On this #InternationalDayOfPeace, the world is in turmoil as we fight against a virus that threatens our health, security, and our way of life. How will we respond? Let's join together to celebrate peace by spreading compassion, kindness, and hope in the face of the pandemic.

It's official! The YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth's brand new 70 thousand sq ft John W. Lindsay YMCA is opening on October 19! Visit www.JWL2020.ca for details on all the new amenities the facility has to offer!

Pauline Melis, Volunteer Board Chair at the YMCA of Saskatoon talks about how, for almost 120 years, the YMCA has been stepping up to provide much needed programs and services directly in the community. Parents know that their child is in a safe and nurturing environment when they are at work. Children and youth have the chance to make connections and build lasting memories through camp and swimming lessons. Adults can thrive and stay healthy through fitness classes. But help is needed so that they can continue to meet the needs of families and remain sustainable.

As we age, maintaining physical fitness, agility, and stability becomes a greater challenge, but remains critical to ensuring good health. The team at the YMCA of Northern BC talk about why it's important for seniors to keep their health a priority - especially during the time of COVID.

Biggest congratulations to YMCA Moncton on the grand opening of YMCA Moncton North tomorrow!! We are so excited for the Moncton North community and look forward to hearing about all the wonderful memories being made and activities taking place inside this new state of the art facility!

The YMCA Community Action Network (YCAN) team in Calgary is hosting an Instagram Giveaway! Check their page for full details!

Charities and non-profits have been working hard on the front lines throughout the pandemic. We are committed to supporting in the recovery of our communities in meaningful ways. But charities are also facing many uncertainties. The YMCAs in Alberta remind all orders of the government that we must to be included in their recovery plans so that we can continue to provide programs and services that are needed now more than ever. YMCA of Northern Alberta - Edmonton YMCA of Northern Alberta - Wood Buffalo YMCA of Northern Alberta - Grande Prairie YMCA of Northern Alberta - Red Deer YMCA of Medicine Hat YMCA Calgary YMCA of Lethbridge

Yesterday, Yasmin Mukhtar joined the YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth as their new Health, Safety, and Compliance officer. In a newly created position, Yasmin's role will be to ensure the YMCA remains committed to the highest standards of health and safety in an effort to keep the community safe and protected from the novel coronavirus. Welcome aboard Yasmin!

"One of the things that I think has become more important over the course of the pandemic is recognizing that there is so much value in participating in recreation in the outdoors." Thanks to a wonderful new partnership formed between the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario (YMCA Sudbury and YMCA North Bay) and Kivi Park, financial assistance is now available to members of the Y who need it to access the park, which has an extensive trail network and many options for outdoor activities. Happy trekking!

YMCAs in Canada provide before and after school care for more than 90,000 children between the ages of 4 and 12 each year. We will be there for those who need our services this fall as well.

We hope you've enjoyed YCamp as much as we've enjoyed bringing the camp experience home to your family! If you enjoyed YCamp, please consider a charitable donation to your local YMCA to support our camps as we prepare to reopen next summer: https://ymca.ca/Locations. #SaveOurCamps #CampingMatters

Looking for some inspiration or a quick pick me up this Thursday? Reader's Digest compiled a list of acts of kindness in Canada during COVID-19, including #8: the YMCA of Greater Toronto's Donna McDougall coming in with the Best Line Dancing session!