Family Support Services teams up with YMCA to give foster families discounted memberships
Family Support Services Duval and Nassau counties and the First Coast YMCA are partnering to offer a new program in support of foster families.
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Family Support Services is sending Foster Parent Partnership ecards to more than 600 foster families licensed with the agency in Duval and Nassau counties, providing them discounted memberships at their local YMCA.
“Family Support Services and the First Coast YMCA are aligned in our missions to support our First Coast families and build stronger communities,” says Leigh Ann Luttrell, community engagement manager for FSS. “We’re thankful for this opportunity to provide our families a new network for fun, health and connection through this ongoing friendship with the Y.”
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To participate, FSS-licensed foster families need to show their Foster Parent Partnership ecard to the Welcome Center staff at any First Coast YMCA branch in Duval or Nassau counties to receive the special discount. Good for six months at a time, foster families will receive new ecards from the agency if they continue their licensure in good standing.
“Everything we do is grounded in meeting the unique needs of the individuals and communities we serve, and we can’t do it alone. Partners with like-minded values and goals, like Family Support Services, help us increase access and involvement so more people can reach their potential and thrive,” said Michelle Moore, First Coast YMCA chief membership and marketing officer. “We’re excited to collaborate with Family Support Services to provide opportunities for more foster families in Jacksonville to be active together, learn new skills, strengthen bonds and create memories for a lifetime.”
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The idea for this partnership was planted when the FSS Community Engagement approached the YMCA to take part in the child welfare agency’s first-ever discount program for FSS-licensed foster parents in May, in which more than 20 local businesses provided discounts as a show of appreciation during National Foster Care Month.
With nearly 1,000 children in the First Coast foster care system, the need for foster families exists throughout the year. Go to familysupport.org to learn more about Family Support Services and how to support children in the system of care.
To find your local YMCA branch or learn about their programs, go to fcymca.org.
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