Downtown Boise YMCA + IRC

We took our family to the YMCA last week to go swimming. We found out before hand that refugee families get three months FREE membership at the YMCA. After that they can apply for financial assistance. Our family has four kids, including one six month old, and two adults. They can now all take the number 6 bus downtown and walk to the YMCA with their codes anytime they are open and use the facilities which include swimming, basketball, the Youth Activity Center (the YAC), the locker room, rock climbing, raquetball, and the exercise machines too!

We have a lot of fun laughing and learning when we go to the YMCA. You need to bring their case workers' names and phone numbers, and their I-94 paperwork as ID to start. Then they can go anytime. They get their pictures taken, and each member gets their own code to punch when they come into the Y. The YAC has a pool table, a foos ball table, and games and toys for kids as well as a volunteer supervisor.

The kids LOVE the swimming and the slide and there is a kiddie pool too for those who are still learning what swimming is!!! So cool!!!!!

There is also an opportunity to work with the youth strength training class starting up:

The IRC is also partnering with the Downtown YMCA to provide a boy’s refugee strength training program.

The groups are looking for men who are good role models for boys, knowledgeable in weightlifting and/or team sports, have a positive attitude, are sensitive to cultural differences, have excellent communication skills, and are availabe Tuesdays and/or Fridays from 4:30-5:15 p.m.

Can you help? Call Kimberly Justus, 344-5502, ext. 236.

You can email me if you have any questions! amyvecchione@gmail.com