The Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is a national member association of the YMCA of the USA and works with the Department of Defense. Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, the ASYMCA has provided support services to military service members and their families for more than 140 years, particularly focused on junior-enlisted men and women — the individuals on the front lines defending our nation and their families. ASYMCA operates at 17 dedicated branch locations and seven affiliated community YMCAs, as well as 10 Department of Defense/Department of Homeland Security affiliates worldwide.
ASYMCA offers essential programs such as childcare, hospital assistance, spouse support services, food services, computer training classes, health and wellness services, and holiday means, among many others. In 2004, the ASYMCA served more than 433,340 military family participants. Our Relationship with the Department of Defense Many of our ASYMCA branches are on military installations; however, programs are held wherever logistics permits. The Department of Defense recognizes ASYMCA’s extraordinary contribution to junior enlisted service members and their families, and recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding that streamlines the process through which ASYMCA can carry out its programs and services by providing easier access to facilities and resources on military bases. Our Relationship with the YMCA of the USA As a member organization of the YMCA of the USA, ASYMCA supports the motto of the Y: "We build strong kids, strong families, and strong communities." However, ASYMCA is the only non-geographic affiliate of the 2,400 community YMCAs in the United States — our “community” is the military, wherever that may be. As such, we have headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, but our programs are found in more than 30 geographic locations from coast to coast and in Alaska, Hawaii, Japan, and Iceland. Relationship to Congress ASYMCA honors Members of Congress who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and service to military personnel and their families at its Annual Recognition Luncheon, held on Capitol Hill. In 2004, ASYMCA presented Congressman John M. McHugh (R-NY) with the Military Family Congressional Champion Award for his work with the defense community and military families as a senior member of the House Armed Services, Government Reform, and International Relations committees. Congressman McHugh’s district includes Fort Drum, which is home to the 10th Mountain Division, the most frequently deployed division in the Army. The Central Texas Armed Services YMCA began because of a vision held by volunteers that programs for youth and adults should be available in the community. Because the community is made up of 42,000 enlisted soldiers, 80,000 dependents, and 14,000 retirees, the ASYMCA continues to play a major role of support for the men/women of the Armed Forces and their families. In 1984, the ASYMCA began teaching adult education classes. The first Summer Day Camp site was started in 1989 and the first after school childcare program opened in 1990 in the Killeen Independent School District. In 1991, the ASYMCA expanded its childcare to the Copperas Cove Independent School District. Today, the ASYMCA is the largest provider of school age childcare in the Central Texas area with 36 before and afterschool sites serving over 1,400 children a day. The ASYMCA has 100 childcare staff with 15 high-school juniors or seniors in co-op partnership. As we look to the future the ASYMCA will continue to raise our level of distinction in existing services as well as explore new and exciting services to meet the need of our ever changing community. Texas Branches of the ASYMCA (click on links below): KILLEEN EL PASO
