Making an Impact – Help with YMCA Membership Brings Great Joy
In the Making an Impact series, clients and services are featured to expand awareness of the wide array of help available at JFS and to ensure donors understand the lives they touch and the difference they make throughout the community. Client names have been changed to protect their confidentiality.
Through his new insurance provider, Paul became a JFS client. The JFS social worker scheduled her initial intake meeting with him in his home.
Paul was a very healthy man who still worked part time and enjoyed ice fishing. He liked to stay as active as possible. Swimming with his friends at the YMCA was very important to him, and he was disappointed and upset when he learned his new health insurance provider didn’t cover the cost of the YMCA membership required to swim in the pool.
Because he couldn’t afford the cost of membership, he was only able to join his friends from time to time if one of them had a guest pass for him. “Swimming makes me happy,” said Paul, “and I feel better.” The JFS social worker assured him that she would if she could find a solution to this problem.
She called the YMCA that Paul wanted to join and explained his situation. She was delighted to learn that Paul qualified for a scholarship program that entitled him to purchase a membership at half the regular price. But the best part was delivering the good news to Paul the next day. “It feels so good when you can help your client,” she said. “I’m thrilled,” exclaimed Paul. “I can’t wait to get back to swimming with my friends!”