Free YMCA Membership
for Foster and Kinship
Families
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) in partnership with the Ohio Alliance of YMCAs Foundation (Ohio YMCA), will provide free memberships for certified foster homes and approved kinship caregivers who meet certain eligibility criteria. Bridges participants and their children are also eligible. Greater Cincinnati foster and kinship caregivers can start utilizing these services locally on August 10, 2022 at any Ohio facility within the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati association.
Locations
Gamble-Nippert YMCA in Western Hills
Highland County YMCA in Hillsboro
M.E. Lyons YMCA in Anderson Twsp.
Powel Crosley, Jr. YMCA in Springfield Twsp.
Eligibility
Participants must complete a YMCA Membership Application and provide the appropriate paperwork from the Foster, Kinship or Bridges entity.
Foster Homes: To be eligible, certified foster homes must provide the YMCA a copy of the family’s current JFS 01213, “Notice of Approval for Foster Home,” showing the family is currently certified as a foster home. They must also provide a letter from the family’s recommending foster care agency on that agency’s letterhead. It must indicate the family is in good standing with the agency/state of Ohio and either the family has had at least one foster care placement within the past 18 months, or the family is a newly certified foster home within the last six months.
Kinship Homes: To be eligible as an approved kinship home, families must provide a letter from the agency that approved the family on the agency’s letterhead indicating the family is in good standing with the agency and that they have a current kinship child placed in the home.
Bridges: Bridges is a program designed to help former foster youth transition to adulthood. To be eligible, Bridges participants must provide a copy of the participant’s Bridges Voluntary Participation Agreement showing the participant is enrolled in Bridges and a letter from the Bridges grantee on the grantee’s letterhead indicating the participant is currently enrolled in Bridges.
Membership at the Y
Membership includes free childcare while you work out, online and on-demand fitness classes, and big savings on the best youth programs in the area.
Please visit a YMCA branch with eligibility documentation to join the Y.
