Bellefonte YMCA Offers Program for Young Adults with Special Needs

The YMCA of Centre County’s Bellefonte branch is welcoming more participants for its Community Connections program.

Community Connections is a program for young adults with special needs and is designed to enhance the lives of individuals with disabilities by providing a safe place to spend time with friends while being challenged intellectually. The program has many activities, which include cooking, crafts, wellness programs, gym time, swimming, and fishing. Community Connections meets from 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Bellefonte YMCA, 125 W. High St.

The program is open to young adults affected by any type of disability and is hosted in partnership with the Centre Region Down Syndrome Society. The fee to participate is $40, but discounts can be coordinated for groups of individuals that would like to participate. YMCA members can participate in the program for free.

Margie Fisher, who helped design Community Connections and is a mother of a program participant, said it provides valuable new experiences.

“The program held weekly at the YMCA has enriched the lives of participants by introducing them to opportunities they have not experienced before,” Fisher said in a news release. “It infuses a vision into their hearts that their world is so much bigger than they ever imagined. The YMCA’s talented and committed staff are incredibly valuable and their partnership with the families involved in this program has created another family for my daughter to enjoy at the Bellefonte YMCA.”

To learn more about the program or register, please contact Kristin Erb at kerb@ymcaocc.org or at (814) 355-5551.