Our YMCA in the News

If you're a reporter working on a story, please contact Ellen Murphy, Sr. Director of Communications & Public Relations.

September 17, 2009
The Staten Island Advance interviewed four teens and one counselor who participated in the Global Teens program this summer. The teens traveled to Brazil, Thailand and Argentina to complete service projects there. The trips were made possible thanks to fund-raising efforts and support from the Staten Island YMCA to cover the cost of the trip. Applications are currently being accepted for the 2010 Global Teens Program.

September 14, 2009
Seniors in Staten Island are striving to get fit. In an article in the Staten Island Advance, explores the Silver Sneakers program available through certain health insurance plans which provides free access tro YMCAs for seniors. In addition, the Staten Island Advance provides detailed information on an upcoming golf outing to benefit the Strong Kids campaign.

September 4, 2009
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint parntership of the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation kicked off 'Go Healthy Month' at the Vanderbilt YMCA. In a youth forum that provided more than 150 teens the opportunity to discuss the importance of health and wellness. Read more about this exciting event in Philanthropy News Digest. 

September 3, 2009
Broadway comes to the Staten Island YMCA in an upcoming fundraiser entitled "Broadway through the Ages" to benefit the Staten Island YMCA Strong Kids Campaign. The event promises to be a hit with dinner, dancing and performances by local talent. The Staten Island Advance reports on how to get more information or purchase tickets to this spectacular event. 

August 28, 2009
The Mom Most Traveled blog shared the hope-inspiring video of our recent Global Teens trip to Thailand. From building a YMCA after school center to spending time with local village children, the video showcases how our NYC YMCA teens gave back to Thailand while taking in the rich culture all around them. Check out the video, it doesn't disappoint.

August 27, 2009
Reuters reporter Larry Fine sat down with Rena"Rusty" Kanokogi, the "Mother of Judo" who received a gold meal from the YMCA of Greater New York, 50 years after she was forced to forfeit it. The in-depth piece features colorful quotes from Rusty and has been picked up by media around the world.

August 22, 2009
In an elegent reception on August 21, 2009, the YMCA of Greater New York presented Rena "Rusty" Kanokogi, the "Mother of Judo" with a gold medal to honor her life's work. In 1959, Rusty competed in the Utica YMCA National Judo championships disguised as a man. When her team won and it was discovered that Rusty was in fact a woman, the official forced Rusty to forfeit. In a heartful ceremony, Rusty was presented with a metal for everything she has done in her life to fight for equality for women in sports. In addition to a Sunday feature story in the New York Daily News, The New York Times, The Mainichi Daily News, Fuji News Network, The Brooklyn Eagle, BBC News World Service, France 24, WCBS-TV, WNBC-TV, My9, Associated Press, Brooklyn 12, NY1, and the New York Post.

August 16, 2009
As the Staten Island Advance continues to explore the issue of teenage abuse of prescription medication, Joseph Vehey, executive director of the YMCA Counseling Service, which runs intake programs for youth with substance abuse problems and information sessions for parents, comments on the severity of dependence on prescription medication and advices that teens seek help.

August 13, 2009
Nearly 150 participants from the Greenpoint YMCA's Summer Day Camps performed dances and skits and showed off their arts and crafts at the annual camp spirit day. The Greenpoint Star was there and took some fantastic photos of these YMCA Campers with their work. The Greenpoint YMCA serves approximately 4,000 young people each year, 80 percent of whom are able to participate in programs such as Summer Day Camp with financial assistance thanks to funds raised through our Strong Kids Campaign.

August 7, 2009
Children participating in the Greenpoint YMCA's arts camp presented their work at an exhibition at the Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union. Check out this great article in the Greenpoint Gazette to learn more.

August 6, 2009
Learn about Katherine Guachichullca's journey to Peru as part of the YMCA Global Teens program. Featured on the front page of the Greenpoint Star, Katherine's trip put her on the path to global citizenship through cultural and educational travel, meaningful community service and teen-to-teen interactions.

July 31, 2009
Senator Charles Schumer visited the Staten Island YMCA to talk about a new piece of legislation for tougher standards on workers who are employed to work with children. The Staten Island Advance reported that the legislation would allow oraganizations like the YMCA full access to federal criminal and sexual predator lists to conduct even more thorough background checks.

July 30, 2009
Lacrosse is the sport of choice on Staten Island. The Staten Island Advance reports that although at one time lacrosse was a strange game to Staten Island Youngsters, it's now available for free as part of the after school program at the Staten Island YMCA.

July 16, 2009
The Queens Chronicle reports that summer camp at the Long Island City YMCA is not just all fun and games. More than 300 students attend the YMCA summer camp in LIC, which incorporates activities such as reading, discussing books, and journaling.

July 15, 2009
U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner visited the soon-to-open Ridgewood YMCA, the facility that he added $237,000 out of the $6 million project.  The facility is scheduled to open this fall.

July 8, 2009
The New York Times City Room Blog reports an interesting trend at the Prospect Park YMCA - Daddies are attending in droves. In her piece entitled, "Whos That With Baby at the Y? Why, It's Daddy," Jennifer 8. Lee explores the increase of male participation in Baby Boogie classes at the Prospect Park YMCA. The piece gained traction in the blogosphere inspiring pieces on the NYC Dads & Stay at Home Dads Group, New York Magazine Daily Intel column, Gothamist and the 92Y Blog.

July 7, 2009
The locker rooms at the Staten Island YMCA Broaday branch received an extreme makeover. The Staten Island Advance  reports that the facility now posts a new sauna, steam room, showers and lounge area complete with a flat screen TV.

Mario Hernandez was named Long Island City YMCA Teen Volunteer of the Year and he was featured in the "Star of Queens" column in the Queens Courier. As an active participation in Teen Programs at the Long Island City YMCA. Maria gives back to the YMCA by volunteering at Y After School programs so that he can teach younger children some of the valuable lessons he learned over the past two years.

July 6, 2009
Sen. Charles Schumer holds a press conference outside the West Side YMCA to advocate for a new bill to further protect children from predators. The new bill will enable nonprofit children's organizations to screen potential emoplees and volunteers thoroughly and inexpensively.

June 29, 2009
The Greenpoint Star kicks off the summer season with tips for how children can be safe in and around the water. Learning how to swim safely is essential to survival. The Greenpoint YMCA recommended several safety measures for how to keep children safe this summer.

June 23, 2009
The popular YMCA Youth Lacrosse Clinic kicks off its 13th year. Four athletes who started their lacrosse careers at the YMCA will make a return to coach in this annual summer event. 

June 18, 2009
The New York Times reports that Feniosky Pena-Mora, who came to Washington Heights in the 1980s from the Dominican Repulic and learned how to speak English at a YMCA program on 14th Street, was appointed as the dean of Columbia University's Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science.

June 14, 2009
From pedaling to paddling, the New York Daily News explores different summer sports that will get your heart pumping this summer. The article showcases that swim instruction is available at 17 out of 19 of the YMCAs throughout the five boroughs and that prices are adjusted to the community and financial aid is possible.

June 8, 2009
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May 19, 2009
NY1's Tara Lee Wagner included advice from YMCA sr. director of teen programs Marty Forth on the problems many students encounter when paying for college. Our new Y Scholars program is geared to prepare teens for college from 6th grade through high school by equipping them with the necessary resources to master both the high school and college application process.


May 17, 2009
Betsy Wangensteen of Crain’s New York Business discusses how the current recession has impacted parents’ decisions on where they plan send their children for summer camp this year. In her piece “Summer Scramble” Wangensteen highlights our New York YMCA Camp’s new honor-based tuition system, another way that we’re working to ensure that children all around New York City are able to attend summer camp.


May 14, 2009
Have you ever seen a swim team with swagga’? The new spunky Webzine “Say It Loud” gives us an inside look into the life of the Bed-Stuy YMCA Piranhas. With their unique style and incredible talent, the Piranhas are taking over the city or in their case the city pools.


May 13, 2009
In "Three-day YMCA Camp trip beneficial to Valley Central fifth-graders" the Times Herald Record reports on kids who took a break from conventional learning at the YMCA's Greenkill Outdoor Education Center, learning valuable skills in leadership and communication. Each year New York YMCA Camp provides thousands of kids and teens the opportunity to experience the great outdoors while learning important lessons in community and leadership.


May 7, 2009
The Ridgewood YMCA is set reopen in the near future. In the mean-time, the YMCA continues to offer various services to hundreds of kids in the surrounding areas. When officially opened, the new YMCA is set to accommodate up to 5,000 men, women and children, and will continue to serve and www.ymcanyc.org/ridgewood.


May 7, 2009
The YMCA of Greater New York honored its 40 Volunteers of the Year at its annual General Assembly and Volunteer Recognition award ceremony, and the Staten Island Advance shared the stories of Staten Island honorees Paul A. Campione and Idrissa Kamara, for epitomizing YMCA values by their commitment to community service.

In "Staten Island teen is polished and poised for politics" the Staten Island Advance's Tevah Platt profiled 15-year-old Sebastian Barbera of the Broadway YMCA who was elected Mayor of New York City, through the YMCA's 20-week Teens Take the City program. Teens Take the City offers hands-on experience in developing and implementing public policy in their communities.


April 29, 2009
NY1 came to our Community Forum on Quality Afterschool Care, and interviewed keynote speaker Schools Chancellor Joel Klein. As the City's largest provider of afterschool programming, the YMCA of Greater New York is committed to keeping more than 12,000 NYC kids safe and engaged in the critical 3:00-6:00pm hours.


April 27, 2009
ABC7's Nina Pineda reports on affordable summer camp options for families that want to send their kids off to camp in the upcoming summer season. Among the most affordable options, Nina mentions New York YMCA Camp's financial assistance offerings to ensure that no one is turned away.


April 24
Yes, New York YMCA Camp is cool! Check out some of our hippest camp offerings in the New York Post piece entitled, "Adventure Island". 


April 23, 2009
The Staten Island Advance's Sherrina Navani discusses the issues many parents face in raising children. , and interviewed our Broadway YMCA early childhood director Allison Sircuranza on her opinion on ways parents can effectively discipline their children.  


March 1
All-Star Knicks guard John Starks, retired All-Star Liberty center Kym Hampton and current Knicks center Jared Jeffries stopped by the West Side YMCA to lead a group of kids in a basketball clinic as part of our Jr. Knicks program. Read all about it in the March/April issue of HOOP Magazine in an article entitled, "YMCA Knicks".


February 26
It's pajama time! Tots at the YMCA on Broadway brought in money, books and nightwear to donate to charity and were featured in the Staten Island Advance in a piece entitled "Pajamas at pre-school" and were highlighted in a segment on NY1. In addition, it's time to start thinking about what to do with those tots this summer, YMCA day camp was highlighted in a piece entitled "Planning for summer camp starts now".


February 18
The Strong Kids Campaign has officially kicked-off at events at every YMCA in the Greater New York area.  The kick-off events were highlighted in several local news outlets including The Bed-Stuy Blog, The Bronx Reporter, The Brooklyn Courier, The Greenpoint Gazette, and The Greenpoint Star. For more information about how you donate to the Strong Kids Campaign visit our online donation page.


February 12
On a recent Saturday evening, the Queens Times-Ledger stopped by the Flushing YMCA to watch our group of talented teens channel the ’80s, contort their frames into gravity, defying postures and move to the throbbing beat of the music as part of a breakdancing class at the Flushing YMCA. In her story, "Break it Down" reporter Erin Walsh gives us an inside look at how the YMCA Teen Center is changing lives in Queens.


February 11
Vibrant programs for kids at the Greenpoint YMCA were featured in a cover story in the Greenpoint Star. The story entitled, "Greenpoint Y on Display" showcased the extraordinary work of YMCA kids, who took part in the recent Greenpoint Youth & Family Program Spotlight Expo. The Expo was an inside look for members of the community at Greenpoint YMCA's Youth & Family Programs to see participants in action, giving performances and presentations demonstrating what they have been learning since the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year.


February 9
Welcome 4 new board members to the Staten Island YMCA: Samir Farag, Marcus Marino, Joseph Motta, and Catherine Paradiso. More information on these new members is in the Staten Island Advance article entitled "Island YMCA Adds 4 Members to Its Board of Managers".


February 8
NY1 broadcast live from the Harlem YMCA yesterday to help promote our College Goal Sunday event, where YMCA experts gave college-bound students and their parents some useful tips about how to get free money for college. In her report "Students, Parents Attend College Goal Sunday", NY1's Tara Lynn Wagner interviewed YMCA experts and teens about  the challenges related to paying for college during this time of economic crisis.


February 5
Aspiring basketball players from the Staten Island YMCA had a chance to get lessons from the pros. The Staten Island Advance reported on a visit from New York Knicks Anthony Bonner, Troy Bower and others in its story "Junior Knicks Clinic: A Slam Dunk."


February 4
The Flushing YMCA was presented with a grant for $8,000 from the Verizon Foundation to fund the YMCA Literacy Through the Grades program. The Queens Gazette reported in its story "Flushing YMCA Receives $8,000 Grant."


January 31
Are you looking for a way to get your kids healthy and fit? The New York Post highlighted the YMCA Strong Kids Card as one of the many fun programs in the City to encourage kids to "Move It, Exercise Your Right to Be Fit." As the reporter Sarah Schmerler points out, getting children physically fit will build their self-confidence and independence.


January 20
On Inauguration Day, over 20 participants in our Teens Take the City and Youth and Government programs attended the watch party at City Hall and shared their insights live on Fox 5 throughout the afternoon. The teens discussed their hopes and dreams for the future of our country under the leadership of President Obama. In addition, Ruben Diaz, one of the Y teens at the City Hall event was featured in an article entitiled "From Pubs to Clubs to City Hall, Obama-mania sweeps Downtown" in The Villager newspaper.


January 18
It's no secret we're committed to the neighborhoods we serve--"We're Here for Good" doesn't just describe our programs and services. One neighborhood where we're proud to have played a role in improving the safety and quality of life is in Bronx's Castle Hill, and the New York Times' Joseph Plambeck shared in "Still Easy to Get to, Now Safer to Be In" and in a slideshow of local images, remarking on our Bronx YMCA's work to build strong community in southeast Bronx.


January 15
The Times Weekly newspapers reported in the piece "Swim Lessons for Autistic at YMCA" on a new program to help autistic children learn how to swim.  The Long Island City YMCA and Con Edison have teamed up with Quality Services for the Autism Community (QSAC) to design an aquatics program for autistic kids that builds skills while enhancing self-confidence and well-being.


January 14
Do you need a dose of inspiration to overcome your personal obstacles and start incorporating exercise into your daily routine? Well, check out this dedicated group of visually impaired individuals, who workout regularly at the Chinatown YMCA without the benefit of sight. NY 1's Health and Fitness reporter Kafi Drexel dropped by the Chinatown YMCA to speak with these inspiring members See for yourself in Drexel's report "Dedicated Group Works Out At YMCA Without Sight."


January 12
Do you need some help sticking to your New Year's resolutions? In an article entitled, "Y You Need a Personal Fitness Coach" in the Staten Island Advance, Stella Bennardello, health and physical education director for the Broadway YMCA explains how the Y Personal Fitness program can help those people who want to make a commitment to their health, but have previously been unable to conquer the obstacles to making it stick. 

January 9
New York 1's Roger Clark dropped by the Flushing YMCA to learn more about teen break dancing instruction, part of the Teen Center program. In his report "YMCA Inspires Teens through Break Dance" Clark interviewed some of our talented teens about how break dancing builds self-confidence, reduces stress and keeps them healthy. Take a look at this Youtube clip to see Clark attempt to bust a move with our amazing teen break dancers.

January 7
Univision Noticias 41's Sandra O'Neil dropped by the West Side YMCA to talk about affordable ways to stay healthy in the New Year. The report "Estar en forma no cuesta mucho" highlights the YMCA Financial Assistance program.

January 5
January's always a great time to start fresh and commit to making a healthy lifestyle. While our January Membership Special is bringing a lot of people in the doors, the New York Daily News' Eloise Parker included us in her story on fitness for the budget-conscious "Times May Be Tough, but There Are Lots of Health Club Bargains All Around Town." While we're so much more than just a fitness facility, YMCAs throughout the five boroughs offer free hands-on guidance for members in our Y Personal Fitness program, plus we offer financial assistance through our Strong Kids Campaign.

January 2
NY1 stopped by the McBurney YMCA to speak with our experts about how New Yorker's can keep their New Year's resolutions.  John Rappaport, executive director of the McBurney YMCA and Heather Chandor, senior program director of membership, health and fitness, were interviewed in the piece "Resolutions in Hand, Many New Yorkers Head to the Gym" about how the Y Personal Fitness program can help individuals incorporate exercise in the daily routine.

January 1
Teens Take the City participant Abdul Hafiz was recently profiled in True Genius Magazine as a Genius Kid because of his passion for volunteering and his tireless efforts to help his community. In the story, "Making Good for Others" reporter Allie Sakowicz shines a light on Abdul's efforts to help pass Ibrahim's Law, which would require retractable steel safety gates on fire escape windows in New York City's multi-dwelling apartment buildings, after the tragic death of his brother. Abdul's commitment to volunteerism is an inspiration.

2008 Archives: March/April - May/June - July/August - September/October - November/December

The YMCA of Greater New York cut the ribbon on its Evergreen Camp Lodge, which is the first targeted LEED-certified YMCA camp lodge in the nation.  The lodge was featured in the Times Herald-Record in a story entitled, "New YMCA lodge in Huguenot Goes Green." The new Evergreen Lodge was also featured on the Fox 5 news. March 28New York Times columnist Jim Dwyer highlighted the McBurney YMCA's involvement in the search for a bone marrow donor for Y After School participant Jasmine Anema. In his column "Girl's Future Depends on Strangers," Dwyer tells the story of Jasmine's quest to find a bone marrow match. March 24The New York Daily News talked policy with our budding politicians from Queens in the story, "Teens Take Mock Shot at Politics" about the YMCA Youth & Government program. March 18The New York Times introduced our honor code tuition system for summer camp in Winne Hu's piece "Pick Your Own Price for Summer Camp." March 11Celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelsson paid a visit to New York YMCA Camp in Huguenot, NY to prepare a delicious dish using our own YMCA Camp Maple Syrup. Fox 5 Good Day New York captured all the action as campers learned how to make maple syrup from camp executive director, Wheaton Griffiin and how to make a great maple glazed tuna from Marcus Samuelsson.