WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This Welcoming Week, taking place September 14-23, YMCA of Metropolitan Washington will join Welcoming America and hundreds of YMCAs and other organizations nationwide in hosting events to celebrate immigrants’ contributions to communities and bring together all residents in a spirit of unity. Welcoming Week activities are open to the public and include dance and cultural cooking classes.
“At the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington, we believe the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area is stronger when everyone in the community feels welcome and we can all work together for the common good,” said Carson Henry, Executive Director of YMCA of Metropolitan Washington Youth & Family Services.
“We are proud to be a part of Welcoming Week, which is demonstrating that in places large and small, rural and urban, people of all backgrounds are coming together to create stronger communities. It is a time to celebrate the shared values that unite us as neighbors, parents and colleagues, and to make our towns more welcoming to newcomers and to everyone who calls our community home,” said Kristy McCarron, YMCA of Metropolitan Washington Healthy Eating Specialist.
During Welcoming Week, some of the branch events include:
YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase
9401 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD 20814
September 12th, 2018 – International Potluck
To register contact the branch at (301) 530-3725
YMCA Anthony Bowen
1325 W St NW, Washington, DC 20009
September 15th – Dining for Cultures
To register contact the branch at (202) 232-6936
YMCA Arlington
3422 13th St N, Arlington, VA 22201
September 17th & 18th – Around the World Tennis Tournament
To register contact the program center at (703) 525-5420
YMCA Silver Spring
9800 Hastings Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20901
September 19th – African Dance Class
To register contact the branch at (301) 585-2120
“These events are part of a powerful and growing movement in our country and around the world, demonstrating that communities want to be welcoming,” said Rachel Peric, Executive Director of Welcoming America. “Welcoming Week is a reminder of the resilient and inclusive spirit of American communities. Thousands of local leaders nationwide are bringing their communities together to bridge divides and build stronger local economies where everyone belongs.”
For detailed information on Welcoming Activities and schedules, please visit www.ymcadc.org/welcoming-week.
About the Y
The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,700 Ys engage 22 million men, women and children – regardless of age, income or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. ymca.net
About Welcoming Week
Welcoming Week, founded by Welcoming America, is an annual celebration bringing together thousands of people and hundreds of local events that celebrate the contributions of immigrants and refugees and the role communities play to foster greater welcome. Welcoming Week is Sept. 14-23 across the country and now expanding to other parts of the world.
Welcoming America is leading a movement of inclusive communities becoming more prosperous by making everyone who lives there feel like they belong. Welcoming America believes that all people, including immigrants, are valued contributors and vital to the success of both our communities and our shared future. www.welcomingamerica.org.
| Contact: Dana Rucker Association Director of Communications YMCA of Metropolitan Washington (202) 868-3004 dana.rucker@ymcadc.org |