YMCA Military Outreach Initiative—Respite Child Care Services
The YMCA Military Outreach Initiative offers respite child care services for children whose parent or guardian needs temporary respite from their role as primary caregiver in the absence of a deployed spouse. The care is intended for children who are infants (or youngest age permitted at the participating YMCA) up to 12 years of age (or oldest age permitted at the participating YMCA).
Eligible military families and personnel include:
- Families of joint deployed Army National Guard and Reservists of all military branches
- Families of Active Duty Independent Duty personnel
- Relocated spouses and family members of deployed Active Duty personnel
- Families of deployed Active Duty personnel, who are geographically dispersed outside a 30-mile radius from a military installation.
Note: Eligibility is for Title 10 personnel only.
Getting Started
To receive respite child care benefits from the YMCA Military Outreach Initiative, eligible military families and personnel should follow these steps:
- Contact Military OneSource at www.militaryonesource.com or 800-342-9647 to confirm eligibility and receive an eligibility form.
- Find a participating YMCA in your area using the search tool below.
- Fill out and bring your eligibility form, Military ID and any other required documentation to a participating YMCA for verification (please do not leave copies of these documents at the YMCA).
Guidelines
The Department of Defense will underwrite respite child care to benefit eligible military families in cooperation with participating YMCAs through September 2010.
About the YMCA Outreach Initiative
YMCA of the USA, the Armed Services YMCA and the Department of Defense have launched the YMCA Military Outreach Initiative to address the needs of families of deployed military personnel who live far from a military installation and require access to child development, family strengthening, and health and well-being programming.
The YMCA Military Outreach Initiative leverages the YMCA movement’s national scale and mission to engage families facing the hardship and uncertainty of military deployment. The nation’s 2,686 YMCAs have the unique capacity to respond to the needs of this widely dispersed population through supportive, community-based programs that foster a healthy spirit, mind and body.