Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

C.W. Avery, Central City, Galowich, Morris

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Greater Joliet Area YMCA Establishes Mission Strong Fund

As a non-profit, community-based organization, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA has worked hand-in-hand with its neighbors to bring about meaningful change in the community for more than 90 years. Like many local non-profit organizations, the Y has experienced substantial financial losses as a result of its COVID-19-related closure.

To ensure its mission can continue to thrive in communities throughout Will and Grundy Counties, the Y has established a Mission Strong Fund. Charitable dollars raised through the Mission Strong Fund will help to ensure the long-term sustainability of the YMCA and will be used to support these three areas:

CARING FOR OUR COMMUNITY

Initiatives:

  • Providing much-needed financial assistance for children, families and seniors who are experiencing hardship due to COVID-19.
  • Feeding our neighbors by hosting monthly mobile food pantries at our YMCA locations.
  • Implementing facility enhancements and new safety and social distancing guidelines at our YMCA locations.

CARING FOR OUR KIDS

Initiatives:

  • Providing much-needed financial assistance for camp and before and after school families who are experiencing hardships due to COVID-19.
  • Adapting our youth programs to incorporate lower staff-to-child ratios to meet social distancing guidelines.
  • Implementing new safety guidelines in our childcare and youth enrichment programs.

CARING FOR OUR STAFF

Initiatives:

  • Providing support for YMCA staff who are experiencing financial hardships due to COVID-19.
  • Purchasing personal protective equipment for YMCA staff.
  • Establishing staff trainings to meet new safety and social distancing guidelines.

To make a charitable gift to the Greater Joliet Area YMCA’s Mission Strong Fund, please click here.

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Keeping You Informed: Local Food Distribution Sites


LAST UPDATED: June 2, 9 a.m.

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA wants to help keep the community informed about food distribution available at various schools and pantries throughout the area. A breakdown of important information can be found below. Please note: All information is subject to change. Individuals should contact their local school or food pantry officials with any additional questions.

Food Distribution at YMCA Facilities

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA is teaming up with the Northern Illinois Food Bank to host weekly food distribution events at the Galowich and Smith Family YMCAs in Joliet. As part of the weekly events, families may receive up to 3 breakfast and lunch meals for children 18 and younger. Meals will be loaded directly into participants’ car trunks. Please adhere to social distancing guidelines. Meals will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. No ID is necessary.

Please help us spread the word by sharing this information with family, friends, and neighbors in need.

Monday June 1
Monday, June 8
Monday, June 15 
10 a.m.-Noon

Galowich Family YMCA
749 Houbolt Road
Joliet, IL 60431

Smith Family YMCA
1350 S. Briggs Street
Joliet, IL 60433

The Rx Mobile Food Pantry will also be on-site at the Smith Family YMCA from 10-11:30 a.m. on the following dates:

Thursday, June 4
Thursday, June 18

Joliet Public Schools District 86

Joliet Public Schools District 86 will provide FREE Grab and Go Meals to any child under the age of 18 years old. The meals will be available for curbside pick-up at District 86 Junior High Schools for all District 86 Students from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Children are encouraged to be in the car when picking up the meals.

-Dirksen (Midland Avenue side parking lot-horseshoe, Door #18)
-Gompers (Briggs Street parking lot, Door #27)
-Hufford (Ingalls Avenue parking lot, Door #26)
-Washington (Richards Street parking lot, Door #24

Joliet Township High School will have daily breakfast and lunch pickups at both Joliet Central and Joliet West for any child 18 years old and younger during the school closure.  Students can pick up the current day’s lunch as well as the next day’s breakfast. Friday, April 10 is a school holiday, so meal service will not be provided.                                                      

-At Joliet Central, distribution will be outside the main entrance from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
–At Joliet West, distribution will be outside Door #6 (near the cafeteria) from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 

Plainfield School District 202

All four high schools will remain open to serve FREE meals to ANYONE 18 years or younger regardless of current meal status. 

• Meal service times 9-11 a.m.

• Service days are ONLY WEDNESDAY                                                                                                  

Anyone 18 years or younger will receive FREE MEALS: 5 breakfasts and 5 lunches @ one time-fresh/frozen meals with instructions.                                                                                                    

If you are not able to pick up a meal, please call (815) 577-4046.

Meals can be picked up at your corresponding home high school. Please enter through the assigned door.

Families should pick up meals at the locations below based on student’s home school:

Plainfield South High School 7800 W Caton Farm Road, Plainfield (Door N)
-Ridge Elementary, Charles Reed Elementary, Meadow View Elementary, Thomas Jefferson Elementary Aux Sable Middle School, Drauden Point Middle School

Plainfield North High School 12005 S 248th Street, Plainfield (Door N)
-Freedom Elementary, Eagle Pointe Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Walker’s Grove Elementary, Heritage Grove Middle School, Ira Jones Middle School

Plainfield Central High School 24120 W Fort Beggs Drive, Plainfield (Door A)
-Central Elementary, Riverview Elementary, Wesmere Elementary, Grand Prairie Elementary, Crystal Lawns Elementary, Creekside Elementary, Timber Ridge Middle School, Indian Trail Middle School,Plainfield Academy, Bonnie McBeth Learning Center and Ina Brixey Learning Center

Plainfield East High School 12001 S. Naperville Road, Plainfield (Door N)
-Eichelberger Elementary, Liberty Elementary, Creekside Elementary, and Lakewood Falls Elementary, John F. Kennedy Middle School

Call (815) 577-4046 if you cannot pick up a meal.

Morris School District 54

Free lunches will be provided for ALL children in Morris (18 years of age and under).  If you would like to receive a lunch for your kids, please fill out this form.  YOU MUST FILL OUT THE FORM SEPARATELY FOR EACH CHILD YOU ARE REQUESTING A LUNCH. If you cannot fill out the form for any reason, you may call the office at (815) 942-0056 to place your order. All orders need to be in by 10 am in order to be ready for that day’s pick-up. You may order for multiple days on the form or on your phone call.

The free lunch pick-up provided by District 54 will continue March 31 and beyond. Lunch Pick-Up will be each day from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. at Morris Grade School. Please come to Door 24 to pick-up the lunch. If you have any questions or additional needs, please contact your school administrator.

Fairmont School District 89

Fairmont School will be delivering breakfast and lunch on Monday and Thursday to the following locations:

-Fairmont School Parking Lot – 1:00 p.m.
-Corner of Princeton Ave. & Green Garden – 12:40 p.m.
-Church parking lot at Corner of Bruce & Green Garden – 1:20 p.m.
-Mt. Ebel Church Parking Lot – 1:30 p.m.

Elwood School District 203

Joliet Township High School has offered to serve the Elwood School students a free daily grab and go lunch during the mandated closure.

Lunches are available at:
– Joliet Central High School outside the main entrance from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
-Joliet West High School outside door #6 (near the cafeteria) from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Rockdale School District 84

Rockdale School District 84 is planning to provide meals for any child 18 years old and younger during the school closure. Students will pick up both a breakfast and a lunch at the same time between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Both meals will be picked up at the same time each day on Connell Avenue at the crosswalk. Parents and students are encouraged to turn from Meadow Avenue and proceed north on Connell Avenue up to the crosswalk where staff will be waiting to hand both meals to parents or students.

Laraway School District 70-C

Food Pickup: Family packs will be available for pick up at Laraway School, not Oak Valley, on each Tuesday during the closure.  Pick up will be from 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Families should check the Laraway website www.laraway70c.org for changes or updates.

Minooka School District 111

Lunches for MCHS free and reduced students will be available for pickup on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., each week, through Thursday, April 30th.

The pickup location will be the front of South Campus at the main entrance, 26655 W. Eames Street, Channahon, Illinois 60410 in the front of the building.                                                                                           

*Due to the Easter Holiday, lunches for MCHS free and reduced students will be available for pickup on Tuesday (4/14) and Thursday (4/16) from 9 am to 11 am next week. The pickup location will be the front of South Campus at the main entrance. After next week the pickup will return to the original schedule.

Union School District 81

Effective March 30th, any family who has children 18 and under can pick up breakfast or lunch from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. at Union School Door F. This is for any families who do not have children attending Union School. Union School families will continue to have their food delivered.

Troy School District 30-C

Troy CCSD 30-C food service is open to all Troy community children under the age of 18 and will return on Tuesday, April 14 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the locations listed below:

–Craughwell Door #4 (front of building)
-Heritage Trail Door #5 (east side of building)
-TMS Door #3 (front of building)

Joliet Public School District #86 has graciously offered to assist in serving food to families this week. District #86 provides food serve from each of its four junior highs on Monday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to Noon.  

Local Food Pantries

Local Food Pantries

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

The USDA  launched a new online tool – the “Meals for Kids” Site Finder – to help families find meals for children while schools are closed during the coronavirus pandemic. The “Meals for Kids” interactive map directs people to local sites where kids can get free meals. The map is available in both English and Spanish at www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids.  

Food Finder and  Nutrislice  have both developed solutions to increase nationwide access to these critical free meals. Food Finder will display USDA’s Meals for Kids locations on their web and mobile app, while Nutrislice is offering their mobile ordering and meal locator solutions for free to hundreds of schools nationwide.    

The USDA National Hunger Hotline is also available for anyone seeking food assistance. The hotline, operated by Hunger Free America, can be reached Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273) (for Spanish).

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Let the Fun Begin: YMCA Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest

Spring is in the air and now kids have another chance to let their artistic talents shine through the YMCA’s Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest! Open to children ages 5-13, this contest is the perfect opportunity for kids to show off their creativity and help spread messages of positivity during these challenging times.

Kids, here’s how to enter:

1. Grab some chalk and head out to the driveway or sidewalk in front of your home.

2. Draw a fun spring design that you think will inspire the community. We know this contest will bring out the best and brightest ideas!

3. Ask your parents to submit a picture of your chalk art to:

C.W. Avery Family YMCA
Trisha Dust, Before and After School Care Director
[email protected]

Galowich Family and Smith Family YMCAs
Brooke Hall, Before and After School Care Director
[email protected]

Morris Community YMCA
Sarah Porzel, Youth and Family Director
[email protected]

Submissions can also be sent to your local Y’s Facebook page or by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. Designs must be submitted by Thursday, May 7. Please be sure to include names in the submission.

4. Designs will be posted on the Facebook pages of the four Greater Joliet Area YMCA branches and voting will run from Friday, May 8 through Sunday, May 10. The three designs with the most combined photo reactions will receive a $10 gift card to an area restaurant.

Good luck!

Greater Joliet Area YMCA Facebook Pages:

C.W. Avery Family YMCA

Galowich Family YMCA

Morris Community YMCA

Smith Family YMCA

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Supporting the Community: Amy Nowak’s Story

At the Y, we know our members have been doing some incredible work to help their communities face the difficult challenges of the COVID-19 public health crisis. Among them is C.W. Avery Family YMCA member Amy Nowak, who has crafted and donated over 300 masks to those in need.

C.W. Avery Family YMCA member Amy Nowak has crafted and donated over 300 masks for those in need over the last month.

“I knew there was a need and I know how to sew. I’m a stay-at-home mom so I didn’t have too much other work to do right now. I dug into my stash of fabric, luckily I had the right kind, and I started sewing,” Amy said.

Amy, who has been a member for nearly three years after moving to Plainfield five years ago, said that making masks has been just one outlet to try and stay engaged with the community. She and her daughters have also been taking part in some of the Y’s online programming. 

“My daughters and I have taken some of the Live with the Y classes and now my oldest really wants to meet (Health,  Wellness and Dance Director) Kristen Derengowski after seeing her on the screen. She has also been doing the Zoom calls with her Pint-Size Pupils class. They’ve been able to do things like show and tell, sing songs and have story time. She has gotten to see the kids and the teachers and she loves it,” Amy said. 

Amy noted that her daughter has also played a role in the mask-making process.

“I’ve got part of my kitchen set up as a sewing center at the moment and when my oldest saw it she really wanted to learn. She’s been helping a little bit here and there,” she said.

Amy initially sewed masks for family members but has been able to expand to area nurses and others in need with the help of some donations from those in her neighborhood. 

“Everyone needs a mask, not just healthcare workers, and since I live right across from an assisted living center I asked if they needed masks. They have 178 residents so the big thing I’m working on now is trying to make at least one for everyone there,” she said.

And though she misses being able to visit the YMCA in person, Amy said she has been able to lean on the Y connections she has developed to make the best of the current situation.

“My closest group of friends is from the Y and we’ve tried our best to stay together online and talk about what we’re doing or coordinate our workouts a little bit,” she said. “The Y is a lot more than a gym to me. It is a community and it provides so many more things than just the building itself. We can utilize the resources the Y is putting out.”

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YMCA Swimmers Encouraged to Participate in Fitter and Faster Online Q&A with Olympian

The Y is excited to announce that the organizers of the Fitter and Faster Swim Clinics will be providing an opportunity for YMCA members to participate in a free webinar with two-time Olympian Chloe Sutton! Scheduled for 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, this virtual Question and Answer session will be a great chance for youth swimmers to talk to, and receive feedback from, an Olympic swimmer.

Click here to reserve your spot:  https://event.webinarjam.com/register/74/pyyn2c4m

Additional Links:

https://swimswam.com/bio/chloe-sutton/

https://www.chloesutton.com/

https://www.teamusa.org/Athletes/SU/Chloe-Sutton.aspx

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Have Fun and Stay Healthy: YMCA Fitness Bingo Challenge

The Y is excited to announce its YMCA Fitness Bingo Challenge! This fun challenge will help individuals and families maintain a healthy lifestyle while also providing an opportunity to win Y swag and gift cards to area businesses. The challenge will run from April 15-30 and is free and open to the community.

HOW TO PLAY

1. Print out the individual or family bingo board listed below:

YMCA Fitness Bingo Board

YMCA Family Fitness Bingo Board

2. Take a picture of yourself or your family every time you complete an activity listed on the board.

3. Collect 5 photos that make a bingo (a full row, column, diagonal, or four corners and center square)

4. Submit your photos to [email protected]

Individuals and families are limited to 3 bingo entries. 10 winners will be randomly drawn on May 1.

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