Photo Credit: The Woodlands Family YMCANews
The Woodlands Family YMCA Bright Life Program celebrates 15th Anniversary
Celebrating their 15th Anniversary, The YMCA Bright Life Program serves adults, ages 18 and older, with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Participants learn life skills, prevocational skills and enjoy social and recreational activities. We believe in encouraging independence and helping everyone reach their fullest potential. In addition to the “Adult Day Program” the After School Program, serves teens, ages 15 and older, with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Students participate in social and recreational activities, monthly field trips and community service projects, much the same as the adult group. Bright Life After School meets 3 – 5:30pm. Both programs meet at The Branch Crossing YMCA in The Woodlands, Monday – Thursday.
The idea for Bright Life came to be 15 years ago. Lisa Thompson, Bright Life Program Coordinator explains, “I had been working on staff in special needs ministry for teens and young adults at a local church and had seen many of my students graduate and move into the adult world with very few good options. My own daughter was in middle school at the time, and what I envisioned for her future did not currently exist in our community. A couple of close friends at the time were also looking for better options so we began to discuss what that would look like. I put together a plan, filed all of the business paperwork to start a non-profit to start a day program and was beginning to look for space when a friend, who was also a Y Fitness Instructor, approached me about using space at the Y. She too had a daughter who had been a part of my church ministry, and she knew that there might be a meeting room available at the Branch Crossing Y. I reached out to the YMCA Executive Director and set up a meeting to discuss the possibility and details.
It was decided that it would be better if I, and the ladies helping run the program, just became employees of the Y, instead of the non-profit leasing space. And within 2 months, Bright Life was up and running. We ran the first successful summer pilot program with 9 teens/young adults. Then in the fall of 2010, we became an official YMCA day and after school program for adults and teens with disabilities. We started with 10 that first year and grew quickly. Today, we serve 29 adults and 9 after school students. We have truly created a “Bright Life” for our participants through continuing educational activities, recreational and healthy fitness options, gardening, our vocational art program, field trips and multiple community service partnerships. Our Bright Lifers are creating a community full of joy, hope, and lifelong friendships for themselves, both here in our YMCA building, and in the greater Woodlands area.”
From one of the parents whose son has been a part of the program since 2010, “Bright Life has been a huge blessing, providing our son with an awesome community of friends. 15 years of community, personal growth, new skills and a purpose. He would not be where he is today, without it. We are forever grateful.”
Currently there is a waiting list for the Adult Day Program, but space is available in the After School Program. For more information contact Lisa Thompson, lisa.thompson@ymcahouston.org or call 281-367-9622.
Source: The Woodlands Family YMCA
