Kids & Family

YMCA's Swimmers Dive Into Project Helping Local Kids in Need

Team helps Samaritan Homeless Interim Program provide for 154 kids.

Submitted by Bev McCarron

The Somerset Valley YMCA swim team brightened the holiday season for 154 children by ensuring each one will receive gifts. 
 
Last year, the team "adopted" 50 kids in need but stepped up and agreed to increase the number of kids when asked. Swim team gift drive coordinator Ellen Sanders said the need for assistance was great this year. 
 
The gift drive is coordinated by the Samaritan Homeless Interim Program, and this is the fourth year the Y has participated. 
 
“As a team we feel that it is extremely important to be leaders and to give back to the community,” Matt Donovan, the Y’s head coach, said. ”We want people to know this team for more than just fast swimming. The Y values we represent extend far outside the realm of athletics.” 
 
Ms. Sanders said she was somewhat worried about taking on so many children, but that swim team families and coaches enthusiastically offered to donate to one or more children or an entire family. In addition to the gifts, the team collected grocery store gift cards for the guardians of the children. 
 
“The support was overwhelming. This has been the true definition of teamwork, from all the people who adopted children to those who made cash or gift card donations to those who volunteered to collect gifts and to those who helped deliver them in a caravan of four minivans,” Ms. Sanders said. 
 
The items contributed to SHIP on Dec. 8 included clothes, along with toys or games for children ranging in age from newborns to 18 years old. 
 
“They all received something they needed and something fun that they can enjoy,” said Ms. Sanders. 
 
At the Y, strengthening community is a cause. 
 
“There is no better time than the holidays for us to make a meaningful impact in our own neighborhood by supporting organizations in need,” Paul Kieltyka, Y CEO, said. 
 
The nonprofit Somerset Valley YMCA has branches in Bridgewater at 601 Garretson Road; Hillsborough, 19 E. Mountain Road, and Somerville, 2 Green St. 


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