Children With Autism Enjoy Weekly Swim At The Hillsborough Family YMCA

The Hillsborough Township Board of Education, the Hillsborough Recreation Department and the Hillsborough Family YMCA are partnering to fill a community need in Hillsborough Township.

While the Board of Education provides morning activities for youth with autism, there was a need for additional afternoon programs. To fill this need, a new program began this summer adding recreational activities in the afternoon.  To help with additional afternoon programming, the Hillsborough Family YMCA has been providing an hour of recreational swimming one day a week.

While the Hillsborough Family YMCA provides the pool and the Recreation Department the staff, the Board of Education provides the expertise to make it happen. 

"The Y has been very responsive to the needs of the community, as well as the Recreation Department" said Lenore Johnston, Director of Special Services for Hillsborough Township public schools.   "This just goes to show what three organizations working together can do to support children with disabilities."

“We are very happy to be a part of a community effort to provide programming for youth with autism” said Hillsborough Family YMCA Branch Executive, Valerie Giacopelli.  “At the Y we believe that all youth deserve the opportunity to discover who they are and what they can achieve.”

 Submitted by the Somerset Valley YMCA.