[Newport News, VA, May 2022] -- The YMCA of the Virginia Peninsulas will soon be mobile to give families with limited access to education, resources, and programs throughout the Peninsula communities the ability to improve their health through the Y’s trusted programs with the new, mobile Y in Motion initiative. Sentara Healthcare and The YMCA of the Virginia Peninsulas have partnered to give under-resourced areas essential programs, like those offered in the Y’s peninsula community neighborhoods.
“Guided by over 126 years of successful programming at our brick-and-mortar locations, we will now offer many of the same wellness initiatives through a mobile bus service that will target communities with the greatest health disparities,” said Adam Klutts, president and CEO of the YMCA of the Virginia Peninsulas. “Thanks to Sentara’s generosity, the recently developed Y in Motion initiative will further underscore our commitment to treating spirit, mind, and body by bringing a wide array of activities, classes, and expertise to those in need.”
“Our mission at Sentara is to improve health every day,” says Kapua Conley, Sentara Regional President for the Peninsula. “Supporting partners like the Y and the initiatives that address local needs that promote lasting and measurable change are core to our mission,” said Conley. “Fostering relationships with trusted leaders and organizations who know the needs of our communities best and can hit the ground running are key to this, and the Y is a trusted organization.”
The Y in Motion initiative is expansive and will deliver quality programs and services, like those offered within our facilities, out into communities. The mobile unit will bring tools and programs to instruct and encourage healthy behaviors, address chronic diseases, and bring resources to community members to help people grow healthier in spirit, mind, and body.
Y in Motion will officially hit the road in late 2022. This initiative is led by Nichola Diaz, Executive Director of Community Health of the YMCA of the Virginia Peninsulas. For more information on how to get involved, please contact Nichola at nichola.diaz@ymcavp.org.
Pictured left to right: LaMonte Williams, Vice-Chair, Pete Diakun, Chair, Adam Klutts, President and CEO of The YMCA of the Virginia Peninsulas, Sherwin Stewart, VP of Operations, and Kapua Conley, Regional President, Peninsula of Sentara Healthcare
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ABOUT THE YMCA OF THE VIRGINIA PENINSULAS
The YMCA of the Virginia Peninsulas is a cause-driven charity, strengthening communities on the Virginia peninsulas for over 126 years through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Across the Association, 16 facilities engage 50,000+ men, women, and children — regardless of age, income, or background — to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve our community’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. The Peninsula Y has long-standing relationships and physical presence to promise and deliver lasting personal and social change. www.ymcavp.org
ABOUT SENTARA
Sentara Healthcare celebrates more than 130 years in pursuit of its mission – “we improve health every day.” Sentara is an integrated, not-for-profit health care delivery system with more than 29,000 employees (including 1,375 physicians and advanced practice providers), 12 hospitals in Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina, and the Sentara Health Plans division which serves over 900,000 members. Sentara is recognized nationally for clinical quality and safety and is strategically focused on innovation and creating an extraordinary health care experience for our patients and members. Sentara was named to IBM Watson Health’s “Top 15 Health Systems” in 2021 and 2018, recognized as a “Best Employer for Women” by Forbes in 2020, and ranked as one of Forbes “America’s Best Employers” in 2018.
