November 3, 2012, Saturday, 307

Chinatown: Organizations YMCA

From The Peopling of New York City

GCCA - CCBA - YMCA - CPC


Chinatown YMCA Hester Street Center


My group interviewed Jie Ling Chen at the Chinatown YMCA center. She is the program assistant and has been working there for six years. The mission of the YMCA is “to promote positive values through programs that build spirit, mind and body, welcoming all people, with a focus on youth.” This specific YMCA is located inside a school, Pace High School,
Pace High School
and because of this all of its programs are government funded. Almost all of the services are free except for the childcare program, which is fee based, but the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) can waive the fee.

After 9/11, this organization expanded its programs and roles in the Chinatown community. Many families were in search of jobs since a lot of work places, such as garment shops, were closed down. The YMCA opened up job training programs to teach the parents new skills. For example, mothers who knew very little English were instructed on how to be home attendants. Also, the YMCA gave counseling to the children since the children were depressed and scared after the World Trade Center Attack.

The YMCA also offers other programs. Administration for Child Services (ACS) and the DYCD offers family support programs. In these programs they teach immigrant parents how to discipline their children in manners considered acceptable in the United States. There is also a new program, New American Welcome Center, which gives free ESL programs and computer classes for people twenty-one years and up. These classes are given at nighttime and instructed in both languages. They also provide free books for the classes.

Annual Health Day 2007 Chinatown Lions Club HealthPlus YMCA

YMCA services help maintain Chinatown's integrity


Village People - YMCA

Interview Transcripts - Interviewers