The Family YMCA of Prince George has dodged the program cut-back bullet, thanks to the support of Variety.
Last week, the Y was the recipient of a Sunshine Coach from the children's charity, replacing one of the organization's five buses.
"We had to retire one of our buses to due to age and mileage," said Prince George YMCA CEO Mark Miller in a news release. "We needed to replace it and would not have been able to do so without the support of Variety - our transportation department is subsidized quite heavily out of our annual budget."
Without receiving half of the $72,000 necessary for the new bus, the Y would have had to cut back on field trips, said manager of resource development and communications Karen Cameron.
"If you don't have a bus, certain programs can't go do things. You have less choice."
The YMCA funded the other half of the cost of the bus through local fundraising and donations.
The Family YMCA is the largest provider of of licensed child care in Prince George, with more than 200 children in the before- and after-school programs.
"In the summer, those numbers increase dramatically," Cameron said. "The more buses we have, the more activities we can have offsite."
The YMCA's five buses are used year round, five days per week. The Y has provided community programs and services for the past 40 years, with a focus on inclusiveness and accessibility for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
"The city of Prince George has always been a great supporter of Variety The Children's Charity. We are very happy to provide such an important asset to enable the programs at the Family YMCA of Prince George," said executive director of Variety Barbie Hislop in a news release.
Since 1965, Variety has raised more than $155 million for children and families in B.C. and has a mission to distribute grants throughout the province to "inspire hope, enrich lives and build a better future for children who have special needs."
