Bonita Springs Florida Weekly

The SKY Family YMCA receives Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation grant


The SKY Family YMCA has received a $70,000 grant from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation to support its scholarship fund. These funds will provide scholarship assistance to children in Fort Myers YMCA and Bonita Springs YMCA School Age Care programs.

As a result of the financial impact of COVID-19 on families, The SKY Family YMCA expects the need for scholarship assistance to be greater than ever. Last year, The SKY Family YMCA provided over 1.5 million dollars in scholarship assistance to those in our community who could not afford YMCA services otherwise. As families and individuals reenter the workforce and children go back to school, many have found themselves financially insecure. These families would not have access to YMCA life-changing services without financial assistance from The SKY Family YMCA’s Children and Families Scholarship Fund.

“The SKY Family YMCA is grateful for the continued support of the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation,” said Gene T. Jones, President and CEO. “This grant will allow the Y to provide much needed financial support to families throughout Lee County. Our Y provides over $1,500,000 of scholarship assistance annually to individuals and families. Our partners, like the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, allow the YMCA to continue its mission and provide an opportunity for everyone to participate in YMCA programs regardless of their social-economic status.” The SKY Family YMCA offers a continuum of care for children and families in Lee County. Currently, the SKY Family YMCA is offering Before and After School Enrichment (BASE) programs at three locations in Lee County. The SKY Family YMCA also opened the Suwyn Early Learning Center at the Bonita Springs YMCA in August. From infants in the Suwyn Early Learning Center to the teens in its leadership development initiatives, the Y gives teens a safe place to belong, build confidence and learn positive behaviors grounded in its core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.

“At the Y, we believe all kids have amazing potential,” said Gene T. Jones. “They deserve an opportunity to discover who they are and what they can achieve. Thanks to the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, children will have that chance.”

To learn more about The SKY Family YMCA or its COVID-19 response efforts, please visit www.swflymca.org. ¦

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