'Like Everyone Else': A Family’s Financial Assistance Story

"I didn’t want my son to feel like he was different from anyone else because we didn’t have money.”

That worry followed Lisa through every paycheck. In 2023, she was laid off from her job, and her husband’s work began seeing fewer customers. Both took minimum wage jobs to keep the family afloat. When they needed help with living expenses, they turned to their local township.

The township staff had a suggestion: ask the YMCA about financial assistance.

Lisa enrolled her son, Theo, in after-school care through the West Essex YMCA with financial assistance through the Y’s Y for All assistance program. But even working full-time, she struggled to keep up with the payments.

That’s when she connected with Toni Brannick, a member of the Y’s finance team who works with families on billing and payments. Toni worked with Lisa to set up a payment plan that matched her pay schedule, so she could catch up without adding strain to her family’s budget. After discussing Lisa’s situation, Toni encouraged her to appeal for additional assistance, and the request was approved.

With the added support, Lisa caught up and began making her weekly payments on time. A few months later, the family was able to add a Y membership and swim lessons for Theo.

“It’s a big relief because I was really stressed,” Lisa said. “It’s a weight lifted off my chest. I don’t know what I would have done without the assistance.”

Without after-school care, Lisa or her husband would have had to leave work every afternoon to pick Theo up. On hourly wages, that time off means lost income.

Now Theo spends his afternoons at the Y with his friends and is in the pool like the other kids his age. His parents can finish their workdays knowing he’s safe and having fun.

What Lisa remembers most isn’t the cost. It’s what it gave her son. “The Y just helped me to make him feel like everyone else.”

To learn more or apply for assistance, visit metroymcas.org/y-for-all or call 973-758-9039.

The family’s names have been changed to protect their privacy.