Military Matters: How the First Coast YMCA Serves Active-Duty Veterans & their Families

By Eric Hernandez
Military Outreach Director, First Coast YMCA
www.firstcoastymca.com

Programs to Serve


At the First Coast YMCA, we pride ourselves on having our finger on the pulse of what’s going on in our communities. We have more than a dozen locations in five counties throughout our association, and while a lot of the programming is similar at many of our branches, there are unique offerings at each Y based on the needs of the people who live nearby.  We want to make sure we’re empowering people to live their best lives, and throughout May - and the entire year - there’s one population in particular that we always want to make sure we honor properly.


Chances are if you’ve been in Northeast Florida long enough, you or someone you know has served in the military, especially with several military installations being located here. Florida has one of the highest military populations in the country, and more and more people, including those who serve or have served, are moving to our neighborhoods. That can be a difficult process, as active-duty military members are constantly forced to learn a new area. The First Coast YMCA is here to help, though, as we have the honor of being an Armed Services YMCA affiliate, which means we have specific programming dedicated to active-duty military and veterans. It’s so important to have a welcoming environment and central community resource for military families and veterans, as they sacrifice so much for our country.


Operation Hero Specialty Camp


The moving process can be particularly hard on children of active-duty military members as they have to constantly make new friends and learn their way around new schools. That’s why we have our Operation Hero Specialty Camp, which we’re offering at our Nocatee location. The program is only $25 for a one-week program for active-duty military children in 1st – 6th grade. It’s designed to help them cope and adjust to the unique challenges of military life, such as frequent moves and deployment separation. It is facilitated by trained professionals to create a fun and safe environment for children to express their feelings, receive academic and emotional health support, and connect with peers experiencing the same challenges.


Maintaining that family bond is vital for military families, and we see so many of them come together at our Camp Immokalee in Keystone Heights. We offer discounts of up to 40% for overnight and 30% for day camp for families of up to E6 active-duty service members and additional discounts for veterans plus discounts on our before and after school programming.


Operation Strong & Ready


We also know that for many active-duty military and veterans, physical fitness is a crucial part of daily life, and we want to make sure we’re helping them maintain an active lifestyle. That’s why we have Operation Strong & Ready, which we’re offering at our Flagler Health Village location. Just like with Operation Hero, Operation Strong & Ready is run by certified professionals who assist not only in physical fitness exercises but also in nutritional guidance, as well as mental health resources. Having a sense of camaraderie is fundamental to being in the military, and Operation Strong & Ready helps facilitate that by connecting active-duty military and veterans in an encouraging group setting.


While May is Military Appreciation Month, we want anyone who is serving or has served to know that they and their families are always welcome at the First Coast YMCA, and we appreciate them every day of the year. If that’s you, or you know someone who may be interested in learning more about what we offer the military community, please reach out to your local branch or visit us online at fcymca.org/military-outreach. To those who have served and their families, from all of us at the First Coast YMCA, thank you for your service.