Lead Organization:  YMCA of Columbia

Contact:  Wendy Broderick, Chief Development Officer, YMCA of Columbia, wendybroderick@columbiaymca.org

Partners and Collaborators Include:  Providence Hospitals, Challenger Club, Lexington County Health Partners, Richland County Health Partners

Through its inclusive health coalition partnerships and connections, the YMCA has begun offering several services through its facilities and programs. These include support group and resource meetings for parents and families of those with disabilities, with additional group meetings to be added soon. These meetings serve as an opportunity to connect these family members with one another, as well as with appropriate resources within the community that provide inclusive, adapted, and or specialty services for or that include people with disability. Additionally, they have created the Challenger sports program, which pairs children with disabilities with a “buddy” to help them navigate a certain sport. They have completed their pilot Challenger soccer program and are in the midst of a similar basketball program.