Joe Stockman (President Elect) and Shelley Elder (Service Chair) take break from volunteering to distribute food for Forever Fed in Kennesaw, GA to present a check for over $1600 to Betsy Matthews (Development Director at YMCA Of Metro Atlanta)

The YMCA is so much more than a gym. Now in the face of the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus, the Y has quickly adapted programs to meet the most pressing needs of Atlanta’s children, seniors, and families. The needs the Y is serving today are compelling and urgent. The YMCA has activated a childcare program that serves children ages six weeks to 12 to support essential workers: hospital staff, first responders, and frontline workers (law enforcement, firefighters, grocery store workers, etc.) who must continue working. The Childcare Program for children of essential workers is morphing into Summer Camp for the children of essential workers. It is serving the same function of providing childcare so essential workers can go to work but it is in a fun, camp, environment.

The YMCA needs equipment for the safety of our children in the First Responder Camp programs. This is one of the three community focused programs introduced immediately to respond to the needs of the most critical needs our community faces due to the Covid crisis.

• Temporal Thermometers - are needed for wellness checks as the children enter into camp, and for the staff team who take care of the campers, in an effort to keep both safe.
• Restroom Trailer – because of COVID this is needed to keep the children in camp separate from the members who now have access to the Y facilities. So far during the pandemic, the campers have had access to the building with no other guests present. Going forward to keep them safely and socially distanced, this will be imperative.

North Cobb Rotary has been a long-time supporter of the Northwest Cobb Family YMCA. It is our club’s honor to sponsor a generous District 6900 Disaster Relief Grant of over $1600 in support of the YMCA’s camp program.

Editor's Note: This district grant also comes from the dollars we receive back from The Rotary Foundation ... once again working for us here at home!