Children and families who face financial challenges are welcomed each day to enjoy a YMCA experience in a place where they are nurtured and where they belong. On average 1,300 kids attend Hockomock Y camps each summer day, including YMCA camps located in Bellingham, Foxboro, Franklin, Mansfield, and North Attleboro.
Last year, the Y provided $173,409 in confidential scholarships for summer camp; more than 20% of campers received some form of financial assistance. As the need continues to grow, the generous Spier Challenge gift will provide more opportunities for kids to experience camp this summer.
Many family budgets are increasingly strained, placing a hardship on children in area communities, especially during the summer when they may not have access to quality care, active outdoor fun, and healthy meals each day. To learn more and make a gift, visit www.hockymca.org/camp-challenge.
Kids deserve to be active, happy and care-free, especially during the summer months. Summer days are longer, warmer and more enjoyable for children to explore the world around them. This is exactly the setting YMCA member Lisa needed and wanted for her three grandchildren. “Thanks to a Y scholarship, this will be our fourth summer coming to camp,” explains Lisa, the guardian of her three grandchildren Chloe, Davion and Dashon. Lisa, a single grandparent, speaks with pride when she describes the growth in her children through their Y experiences. “Chloe is my oldest and the social butterfly. She’s become even more confident. She’s always there to help her brothers and looks to help others. She aspires to be a camp counselor someday.”
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| Spier Family Foundation at opening of Spier Family Outdoor Aquatics Center |
Greg and Kathy Spier, long time Foxborough residents, Y members and volunteers, and community leaders, are passionate about improving the quality of life in their community. The Spier Family name is prominently displayed on the indoor and outdoor aquatics centers at the Y’s Invensys Foxboro Branch. The Spiers are also benefactors of the SPLASH program which has resulted in teaching hundreds of local school children how to be safe around water, learn to swim, and begin enjoying swimming as lifelong recreation.
“Our family has always believed in giving back to the community we love and our Mom and Dad modeled the importance of paying it forward. There is something magical about summer camp that every child needs and deserves. Through this challenge, together with our community, we can provide more kids an opportunity to experience their best summer ever at the Hockomock Area YMCA camps,” said Greg Spier.
When asked why the Spiers are issuing this challenge, Greg Spier shared, “Kathy and I give because our hearts feel good when we do so, and we advocate for the Y because we know the Y strengthens families and communities. Summer camp provides a special opportunity to shape a kid’s life while building confidence and self-esteem.”
Ed Hurley, President of the Hockomock Area YMCA expressed, “We are so grateful to the Spier Family for their continued commitment and confidence in our YMCA. This donor challenge and the gifts that will result means more children will have the opportunity to experience the magic of summer camp at the Y.
Our Y has a proud yet ever-growing history of inclusiveness. Whether it’s a family that cannot afford a Y camping experience for their children or a teenager who struggles with bullying at school, we continually extend our arms, welcoming them into our Y family. We are grateful to be part of 15 communities full of caring, committed people who share the values of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility,” said Hurley.
In 2017, the Hockomock Area YMCA provided $ $2,017,318 in confidential scholarship assistance and program subsidies.
To learn more and make a gift, visit www.hockymca.org/camp-challenge.
About Hockomock Area YMCA:
Where Cause Meets Community. At the Hockomock Area YMCA, strengthening community is our cause. The Hockomock Area YMCA is an organization of men, women, and children sharing a commitment to nurture the potential of kids, promote healthy living, and foster a sense of social responsibility.
The Hockomock Area YMCA is committed to partnering and collaborating with others to create and deliver lasting personal and social change in the 15 communities they are privileged to serve. The Hockomock Area YMCA is a not-for-profit charitable cause-driven organization with facilities in North Attleboro, Foxboro, Franklin, and Mansfield. For more information visit hockymca.org.
