The Auburn Valley YMCA and Auburn School District have partnered to make before-school programming available to children experiencing homelessness.

With transportation from the Y to all elementary schools in Auburn, the Y’s before-school Fit & Fun program is available to any K-fifth grade student in the district. As part of a shared commitment to give students stability, the school district and Y have made the morning program free for K-5 students experiencing homelessness.

The district has recognized that students benefit from increased partnerships with community-based organizations like the Y.

“We know that if we provide students with a good start in the morning, they’re likely to be more successful throughout the school day. Partnering with the Y helps us do that,” said Dennis Grad, executive director of transportation for the school district.

During the Fit & Fun program kids take part in a variety of activities designed to get them moving, thinking and having fun. They may be doing a science activity before moving to the gym for a round of physically active games like Spider Ball, a popular version of dodgeball. Physical activity is a central part of the program. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, students who are physically active tend to have better grades, school attendance, cognitive performance and ability to focus at school.

“At the Y we believe that healthy, successful students help build strong communities. One of our critical roles is to support the great work teachers and school staff are doing throughout the day with high quality activities for kids when they’re not in school,” said Jason Berry, executive director for the Auburn Valley YMCA.

Initially, the district and Y took on the task of supporting a growing number of students without funding. Each partner contributed supports and services to make it possible. They have since identified a stable funding model, including support in 2019 and 2020 from the City of Auburn’s Human Services fund.

During the 2017-18 school year, more than 130 children took part in Fit & Fun. More than half of those participants were experiencing homelessness and had access to the program because of the partnership.

As part of a long-time commitment to youth development, the Y nurtures the physical, mental and social-emotional development of youth. Combining play with academic enrichment, YMCA before and after school programs promote physical activity, creativity, a love for learning, social and emotional development and character building, while complementing lessons learned during the school day.

Learn more at seattleymca.org.