AUSTIN, Texas — Like many businesses across the nation, the YMCA of Austin has had to make some major cuts due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A spokesperson for the organization on Thursday said that since the start of the pandemic, it has had to cut approximately 46% of its staff members. That amounts to about 56% of its part-time employees and 37% of its full-time employees.
"The good news is that we now have a plan in place to sustain our YMCA for the foreseeable future," the spokesperson said. "And we have preserved employment for nearly 900 staff to maintain our level of service to YMCA members and the community."
"People are finding that we are able to provide that safe, healthy environment they're looking for and a place they can still connect," added Sean Doles, VP of mission advancement at YMCA of Austin.
Despite the difficult decision to let team members go, the YMCA says it has stepped forward in a number of ways during the pandemic:
- The YMCA opened emergency child care sites for the children of essential workers.
- The YMCA created thousands of hours of virtual programming for exercise and enrichment to keep the community active and healthy.
- The YMCA made thousands of check-in calls and virtual gatherings with seniors.
- The YMCA partnered with Brighter Bites and the Central Texas Food Bank to deliver meals for kids at three locations.
- During the summer, the YMCA was able to serve 1,000 youth at in-person summer camps with social distancing and safety measures in place.
- The YMCA partnered with local school districts to offer full-day care and support for virtual learning while parents went to work.
"All of these services take more funding than ever before to cover PPE, cleaning supplies, additional space and staff. At the same time, we face a decline in program revenue that we normally depend on to sustain our community-based services," the spokesperson said. "We know we cannot pass all of these costs along to families, especially those in need."
To learn more about the YMCA's Sustaining Giver Campaign, click here.
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