The YMCA on Lewis Street sits in the middle of one of the most impoverished ZIP codes in the state. But Monroe County has partnered with the community center to bring more resources to the people in that neighborhood.
“For us, it's about continuing to provide services that our communities need and eliminating barriers to that,” said Ernest Lamour, president and CEO of YMCA of Greater Rochester.
Lamour made the announcement about the extended resources on Tuesday inside a room at the Lewis Street Y designated for the county. Mental health resources, DMV services, and access to SNAP and Medicaid benefits will be available to the public, Lamour said.
“We work with so many wonderful community organizations and groups creating purposeful partnerships that make sure that we are truly meeting the needs of who we are serving here at Lewis Street,” Lamour said.
The Lewis Street center has undergone significant updates within the past five years, and the county assisted with most of those upgrades. Membership has more than quadrupled since then, officials said, making it an ideal location in the community to offer county resources.
“For generations, the YMCA has stood as a place where families grow, where neighbors connect, where communities thrive,” said County Executive Adam Bello. “Now with this new partnership, the Center becomes a place where residents are also going to be able to access essential county services without having to travel downtown.”
Bello said this initiative is a way to keep the community healthy and empowered.
Officials said you do not have to be a YMCA member to take advantage of these resources.
