Submitted photo and press release:

The JCPenney department store in Batavia is dedicated to helping our local youth. It has proudly donated $1,200 to the Liberty Center for Youth located at 114 Liberty St.

They have made this donation to help close the opportunity gap for the youth of our community. The opportunity gap refers to youth who have unequal access to programs, resources and necessities that enable them to be academically successful.

Many factors such as age, race, gender, household income and community wealth can put the underserved youth at greater risk of not graduating high school or getting the formal training they need to secure a good-paying job. That is where the Liberty Center for Youth Comes in. 

The Liberty Center for Youth offers free programing to all youth ages 9-16 in the community. The center is equipped with a technology lab fit with 10 new computers, 10 tablets and a smart board.

The facility is also has a gymnasium, indoor foursquare court and gaming room complete with air hockey, pool and foosball tables. Youth are offered a free snack every day in the cafeteria and tutoring services are also provided free of charge. 

The City of Batavia Youth Bureau and the Genesee County YMCA have entered into a collaborative partnership to deliver Liberty Center for Youth for youth programing. Both organizations have prided themselves on offering free, safe and fun activities to our youth.

JCPenney proudly supports this community and its success. JCPenney would like to thank Lydia Schauf, who is the program coordinator for the City of Batavia Youth Bureau, for making us aware of this need in our community and taking the time to coordinate this donation.

Photo: Back row, from left -- Sue Dart (JCPenney), Charitie Bruning (Glow YMCA), Elise Lee (JCPenney), Lydia Schauf (City of Batavia Youth Bureau), Rachel Hale (Glow YMCA), and Jeff Townsend (Glow YMCA). Four local youths are in the front row, from left: Kamela Lockhart, Jonelis Martinez-Williams, Gabrielle Lawlis and Gianna Williams.

Part of the Y’s charitable mission is the philosophy that no one with an inability to pay for membership or programs is ever turned away. To that end, funds are raised annually through the Strong Communities Campaign to help subsidize scholarships for youths, teens, adults, families and seniors in Genesee County.

This year’s campaign runs from Feb. 1^st  – March 31^st and the goal is to raise $49,000.

The YMCA wants to positively impact at least 800 people’s lives locally.

Reaching the 2020 goal will insure that children and families, regardless of their socioeconomic status, will have the chance to benefit from the important lessons of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility through YMCA programs and services.

Your help is needed! Please consider a gift to support the YMCA in achieving this goal and making our community stronger for all.

To make a gift, contact Jeff Townsend, executive director at (585) 344-1664 or online at www.glowymca.orgunder the “giving” tab.