New Joliet Community YMCA Will Bring Vital Programs to the Heart of the Community
The Greater Joliet Area YMCA is excited to announce the creation of the Joliet Community YMCA (JCY), an innovative initiative that will bring vital YMCA youth development, sports, and family programming to neighborhood locations throughout the greater Joliet community.
With offices located on the main campus of Joliet Junior College (JJC), the Joliet Community YMCA will partner with area churches, local school districts, and other likeminded community organizations to provide year-round programs for Joliet residents of all ages. This new initiative reaffirms the YMCA’s ongoing commitment to equity, access, and innovation in serving the community.
“As we prepare to celebrate the YMCA’s 100th anniversary in 2026, we have the opportunity to reimagine the ways we deliver programs to the community,” said Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and CEO Katy Leclair. “By offering programs in neighborhood locations, like schools and churches, we hope to make them more accessible for more people in our community.”
Operating as a mobile, community-based extension of the Y’s mission, the Joliet Community YMCA will offer a wide range of programs at locations throughout the greater Joliet community, including:
Before and After School Kid Zone Program: The Y’s Kid Zone program serves students from 12 Joliet District 86 elementary schools, 10 onsite, providing much-needed before and after school care for families. The JCY Kid Zone program also serves students in Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C, Rockdale School District 84, and Laraway Community Consolidated School District 70C.
Teen REACH: The Y’s Teen REACH program, which provides free after school care for students in grades 6-8, will be offered onsite at Joliet District 86’s four junior high schools. Teen REACH summer camp is currently offered at JJC and the Salvation Army Community Center.
Teen Achievers: The Y’s Teen Achievers program provides local high school students with access to career and empowerment workshops, college tours, and networking opportunities.
Youth Sports Programs: Through an innovative partnership, which was announced earlier this winter, the Y and JJC will work together to host year-round sports programming on the college’s main campus. These programs will include youth sports leagues, camps, clinics, and classes, offered as part of the YMCA Junior Wolves program, which provides kids with the opportunity to train with JJC athletes and coaches and YMCA staff.
Youth Enrichment Programs: Beginning this fall, the Joliet Community YMCA will offer a variety of youth enrichment programs, including dance, martial arts, cooking, and STEM classes at JJC, the Salvation Army Community Center, and Messiah Lutheran Church of Joliet.
Family Nights and Special Events: This fall, the Joliet Community YMCA will host free family nights and holiday events at locations throughout Joliet.
“We are very excited to write the next chapter of the Y’s storied history in the Joliet community. We want to meet families where they are. By working collaboratively with our community partners, we can create welcoming spaces where everyone belongs and everyone has the opportunity to grow and thrive at the YMCA,” added Leclair.
Registration for Joliet Community YMCA fall programming will begin on Saturday, July 26. Kid Zone and Teen REACH registration for the 2025-2026 school year is underway. Financial assistance through the Y’s scholarship program is available.
