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The YMCAs of California are trusted community partners, which makes them an excellent choice to provide information about COVID-19 to their communities. The California State Alliance was invited to participate in two COVID-19 awareness opportunities in partnerships with the Sierra Health Foundation and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

With funding and technical support from CDPH and the Sierra Health Foundation, our YMCAs are providing valuable resources to their communities, informing them about full family COVID-19 vaccinations, and giving them the opportunity to become vaccinated through vaccination clinics hosted by YMCAs.

Vaccine Equity Campaign

The Vaccine Equity Campaign is a grant program through the Sierra Health Foundation focusing on bringing COVID-19 vaccination clinics and COVID-19 resources to communities that lack access to them.

YMCA Healthy Kid’s Day events have been a great opportunity for the entire family to enjoy a day together centered around leading a healthy lifestyle, and an ideal venue for YMCAs to give information to families about COVID-19 vaccinations. Some California YMCAs provided direct vaccination pop-up clinics at these events and used healthy and fun incentives to encourage families to protect themselves from COVID-19.

Within the common goals and objectives of the Vaccine Equity Campaign, each YMCA has approached the grant in unique ways for their community:

  • Central Coast YMCA partnered with their public health department to host biweekly vaccination pop-up sites. They also offered testing at their local branches for families.
  • Southeast Ventura County YMCA partnered with Bien Vecino, another locally trusted community partner, to host vaccination pop-up sites.
  • YMCA of Greater Whittier utilized their parent communication app to reach their childcare families with information and vaccine-access opportunities.
  • Sonoma County Family YMCA broadcasted a PSA through their local radio stations.
  • YMCA of Superior California sent postcards to their community members with information on vaccination pop-up sites in their area.
  • Corona-Norco Family YMCA reached their community through multiple pop-up vaccination booths at local events.

Through these approaches, our YMCAs have informed over 11,000 people about COVID-19. They were also able to vaccinate over 700 people.

Youth Engagement Participation Program

The Youth Engagement Participation Program is a project of the Vaccinate All 58 campaign of the California Department of Public Health, focusing on educating youth and centering their voices as leaders on safe practices to prevent COVID-19 infections and the importance of COVID-19 vaccinations based on the latest guidance.

Anaheim Family YMCA, YMCA of San Joaquin County, and YMCA of West San Gabriel Valley have utilized their summer day camp programs to engage youth in discussions around COVID-19.

In collaboration with one another, these YMCAs created 13 different lesson plans that explained transmission of germs, how to keep themselves safe from COVID-19, and involved new, innovative ways to think about COVID-19.

On top of creating engaging, dynamic lessons for their day campers, these YMCAs also provided COVID-19 prevention activities and resources at their local community events. YMCA of San Joaquin County hosted a “Tie-Dye Your Own Mask” event at their local pool nights. Anaheim Family YMCA provided families information at their resource fairs in high-need areas. YMCA of West San Gabriel Valley hosted a vaccination site to provide families with the opportunity to get vaccinated.

 

Continuing Efforts

We are excited to share that the California State Alliance of YMCAs has renewed its partnership with the Sierra Health Foundation for a second round of funding and support for our local YMCAs. Participating YMCAs for this round are the Anaheim Family YMCA, YMCA of West San Gabriel Valley, Central Coast YMCA, YMCA of Greater Whittier, Corona-Norco Family YMCA, and Sonoma County Family YMCA.

We look forward to sharing additional updates on this partnership in the months ahead.

Locations
Anderson Munger YMCA Antelope Valley Family YMCA Bayview Hunter's Point YMCA Border View YMCA Buchanan YMCA Camarillo Family YMCA Laguna Niguel Family YMCA Central YMCA Chinatown YMCA Chino Valley YMCA Shasta Family YMCA Central Coast YMCA Salinas Community YMCA South County YMCA Watsonville Family YMCA YMCA of San Benito County YMCA of the Monterey Peninsula Channel Islands YMCA Lompoc Family YMCA Montecito Family YMCA Noah's Anchorage YMCA Santa Barbara Family YMCA Stuart C Gildred Family YMCA Ventura Family YMCA Corona-Norco Family YMCA Family YMCA of the Desert San Luis Obispo County YMCA Santa Maria Valley YMCA Santa Monica Family YMCA Siskiyou Family YMCA Sonoma County Family YMCA Conejo Valley YMCA YMCA of Silicon Valley Sacramento Central YMCA Gold Country YMCA YMCA of Oroville California YMCA of Superior California Yolo County YMCA Woodland YMCA Fitness Center YMCA Tahoe Park Community Center Downtown Berkeley Branch YMCA Irvin Deutscher Family YMCA West Berkeley Branch YMCA Albany Branch YMCA Downtown Oakland Branch YMCA Eastlake Branch YMCA West Contra Costa YMCA Highland Family YMCA YMCA of the East Valley Crescenta-Canada Family YMCA Verdugo Hills Branch YMCA YMCA of the Foothills YMCA of West San Gabriel Valley Southwest Branch YMCA South Valley Family Branch YMCA Simi Valley Family YMCA Southeast Ventura County YMCA Yarrow Family YMCA Ontario-Montclair YMCA Scheu Family YMCA of Upland Anaheim Family YMCA Burbank Community YMCA YMCA of Glendale Fairfield Family Branch YMCA Los Altos Family Branch YMCA Los Cerritos Branch YMCA Lakewood Family Branch YMCA YMCA of Greater Long Beach - Community Development Branch YMCA of Greater Long Beach/Early Childhood Education East Whittier YMCA Uptown Whittier YMCA Crenshaw Family YMCA Culver-Palms Family YMCA Downey Family YMCA East Valley YMCA Gardena-Carson Family YMCA Hollywood Wilshire YMCA Mid Valley Family YMCA Montebello Family YMCA North Valley Family YMCA Palisades-Malibu YMCA Pasadena YMCA San Pedro & Peninsula YMCA Santa Anita Family YMCA Santa Clarita Valley Family YMCA South Pasadena San Marino YMCA Southeast-Rio Vista Family YMCA Stuart M. Ketchum-Downtown YMCA Torrance-South Bay Family YMCA Weingart YMCA Wellness and Aquatic Center Weingart-East Los Angeles YMCA West Valley Family YMCA Westchester Family YMCA Westside Family YMCA YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles Fullerton Family YMCA Huntington Beach Family YMCA Mission Viejo Family YMCA Newport-Mesa Family YMCA Santa Ana Family YMCA Yorba Linda-Placentia Family YMCA YMCA of Pomona Valley Copley Family YMCA East County YMCA Jackie Robinson Family Branch YMCA Joe and Mary Mottino YMCA Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA Mission Valley Family YMCA Palomar Family YMCA T. Claude and Gladys B. Ryan Family Rancho Family YMCA YMCA of San Diego County South Bay Family YMCA Embarcadero Branch YMCA Marin Branch YMCA Mission Branch YMCA Peninsula Family YMCA Presidio Community YMCA Point Bonita YMCA Richmond District Branch YMCA Shih Yu-Lang Central YMCA Stonestown Family Branch YMCA YMCA of San Joaquin County East Palo Alto YMCA East Valley Branch YMCA El Camino Branch YMCA Mt. Madonna YMCA Northwest Branch YMCA Palo Alto Branch YMCA Sequoia Branch YMCA Beach and Bay Family YMCA Cameron Family YMCA Crescenta Valley Family YMCA Dan McKinney Family YMCA Hilltop Family YMCA Ketchum-Downtown YMCA McGrath Family YMCA Rancho Mission Viejo Redlands Family YMCA San Bernardino YMCA Shepherd YMCA Firehouse Toby Wells YMCA Wilmington YMCA Camp Jones Gulch YMCA YMCA Camp Arbolado YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake YMCA Camping Services Camp Loma Mar YMCA of the Redwoods / Camp Campbell Bear Valley Y Camp Camp Big Bear Camp Edwards Camp Marston Camp Oakes Camp Surf Raintree Ranch