Healthy Living, Healthy Community Blog

As a YMCA family, we are heartbroken at the avoidable, needless and tragic deaths of African-American men, women and trans identified individuals across our nation. Our hearts are filled with pain, frustration and a fierce desire for change – emotions we are sure many of you share with the loss of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and the many who have preceded them.

On a normal Saturday afternoon in 2018, after their regular practice, the Wild Boars soccer team in northern Thailand decided to spend an hour exploring a nearby cave. One of their teammates was turning 17 and they wanted to do something special to celebrate his birthday. Carrying no food or water, they set out for what they thought would be a quick detour on their way home.

At the Y, we’re here to help you lower your risk for serious illness or chronic disease. We’re also here to help you reclaim your health if you do become ill. While a healthy immune system may not be able to prevent you from becoming sick if you’re exposed to the coronavirus, it may help you fight off the illness and get you on the road to a speedy recovery.

When Governor Jay Inslee announced school closures to slow the spread of the coronavirus on March 12, many parents were suddenly left without child care. Families needed to quickly figure out how to balance full-time caregiving and full-time homeschooling with their full-time jobs.

For more 125 years, the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties has continuously evolved to meet the changing needs of our community. And today, our community is going through unprecedented challenges as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Though our doors may be closed, we are still working to meet the needs of our friends and neighbors in these uncertain times.