PathPoint Honors YMCA with Outstanding Partner Award
Santa Barbara, CA – PathPoint honored the YMCA’s Montecito & Santa Barbara branches with the Outstanding Community & Employer Partner awards at PathPoint’s 1st Thursday event in April 2017.
PathPoint has awarded the YMCA’s Montecito Branch with the Employment Partnership award for their employment of PathPoint’s crew and individuals with disabilities for over ten years. At this branch, PathPoint has had a work crew employed there since 2005 and celebrated their 12 year mark in May 2017. Currently, there are six PathPoint participants employed. YMCA has made great strides to assure that all of their employees feel included in the entire staff team. By providing them access to the gym, inviting them to company events, and outfitting them with YMCA uniforms, it allows PathPoint’s participants to feel respected as equals in their work.
The YMCA’s Santa Barbara Branch was awarded the Community Partnership award for their program that incorporates volunteers and employment of people with all levels of ability. They continuously welcome people with disabilities to work out at their gym through a scholarship program and include support staff to join persons served who need support working out. This Y branch has also promoted inclusion by allowing Special Olympic athletes to use the gym for training, which has made it a much more welcoming space all around for anyone with a disability.
PathPoint’s Santa Barbara Division Vice President, Seth Miller, states, “The Montecito and Santa Barbara YMCA branches should be celebrated by our community as models of inclusivity for people with developmental disabilities. PathPoint’s partnerships with the YMCAs have been invaluable in furthering our mission to empower people with disabilities and other disadvantages. It was truly a privilege to be able to recognize their work.”