BINGOpalooza 2022 Raises $20,000

With more than 120 participants, 12 beautiful designer handbag donations and $20,000 in funds raised, spirits were high and records were broken at the 2nd Annual BINGO event on 9/15/22. Of the 10 rounds of BINGO played, half of them resulted in a two way or three way tie which added an extra element of excitement for the crowd. Senior Director of Development, Rich McCarty kept the crowd entertained with an intermission game of Heads or Tails. More than 25 paid to test their luck by choosing heads or tails in this fundraiser game of elimination that was fun for everyone.

Our Open Doors Program makes sure that everyone who wants to use a service at the Y is eligible to do so regardless of economic barriers. This financial assistance program is funded by charitable support. The Y is doing a great deal of work to support the community. We cannot do it alone without the support of our sponsors, our business partners, individual donors and everyone who attends fundraising events.

For those that are not familiar with the work we do, President and CEO, Michele Rulnick provided some highights of the work that is being done beyond wellness programming related to fitness and swimming.

This past summer, we provided FREE swim lessons to about 120 children in order for them to be safe around water.

Beyond that, we have begun to focus on food insecurity issues within our community. There are 62 men who reside at the YMCA in our single room occupancy housing. The Y is their home. Without cooking facilities, they struggle to make ends meet. The Y has also set up a food pantry. Grant funding has allowed us to provide weekly home cooked meals. We partnered with First Church to provide weekly meals throughout COVID.

Food Insecurity programming has also expanded to support youth in our Summer Enrichment Day Camp program held at the YMCA. There are typically 35% of the youth in attendance who are on some type of financial assistance. This year, Candace Crane, VP of Youth Development and Community Relations was able to work with the Middletown Board of Education to get a nutritious meal delivered to the Y for all of of Summer Enrichment campers. This is critical because families are struggling to pay for groceries. The Y is making sure that we are doing everything we can to help families.

As far as our teen programming, we're looking at a mentoring employment program.

We have a full preschool program for the first time since pre-COVID which is amazing.

This summer, we had 1200 children come to enjoy the beauitful 76 acre property where YMCA Camp Ingersoll runs day camp sessions. Our friends at First Student were in attendance and received a shoutout for providing safe and reliable bussing throughout the summer.

It truly takes a village to make a difference and we are incredibly grateful for our village!

Special Recognitions were given to

*volunteers, Johanna Bond, Kelly Smith, Karen Warren and Y staff

*YMCA Volunteer Board of Directors

*Development Team: Rich McCarty and Betsy Schroeder

*Event Sponsors: Liberty Bank, Middlesex Health, Atlantic Wealth Advisors, Webster Bank, Peach Pit, Comcast, Controlled Air, 2QA + M Architecture, Peach Pit Foundation, NFP, Butler Construction, Whittlesey Advising, Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine Centers.