ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Free health and wellness programs are being offered through YMCAs in the Lehigh Valley.
The Pathway programs are being launched at River Crossing YMCA, formerly Greater Valley YMCA and YMCA of Bucks and Hunterdon Counties.
“With the Allentown wellness center and fitness studios open and thriving, we can provide these important, free Pathway programs to the Lehigh Valley community,” River Crossing YMCA Chief Operations Officer Trish Feinthel said.
"We wanted to make that a priority for the Lehigh Valley community the first chance we got."
Trish Feinthel, COO, River Crossing YMCA
One program is the Veterans Wellness Initiative — a Pathway program for military veterans and their spouses to support a healthy lifestyle.
Another a program called the Healthy Horizons pathway program, designed to promote physical health and well-being for those in the mental health recovery process.
And a third is Healthy Lifestyles, a Pathway program for those at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
All three are 12 weeks long and free to participants. They are open to the community with no membership required to enroll.
“These are only the first of a large group of free community impact programs we intend to offer throughout the Lehigh Valley," Feinthel said.
'It was a game-changer'
In Bucks County and Hunterdon County, New Jersey, the Veterans Wellness, Healthy Horizons and Healthy Lifestyles Pathway programs have had a significantly positive impact on over 1,000 participants, the YMCA said.
"We wanted to make that a priority for the Lehigh Valley community the first chance we got,” Feinthel said.
Free children’s programming is being offered, as well, as the YMCA is bringing back its 7th Grade Initiative.
“We learned about balance, nutrition, mental health … and watched our body fat decrease and muscle mass increase."
Linda Filoon, a recent graduate of the Veterans Wellness Pathway program in Warminster, Bucks County
That program provides free membership to seventh-graders at the Bethlehem, Nazareth and Easton YMCA branches, along with the Suburban North branch in Catasauqua and Slate Belt branch in Pen Argyl.
“We learned about balance, nutrition, mental health … and watched our body fat decrease and muscle mass increase,” said Linda Filoon, a recent graduate of the Veterans Wellness Pathway program in Warminster, Bucks County.
“It was a game-changer, and I made a forever friend.”
Registration is open for the Pathway programs and they begin in Allentown on Sept. 23. The weekly events include in-person classes, group and personal training, and virtual meetings.
Participants get a free 12-week membership to the Y, and Healthy Lifestyles and Veterans Wellness graduates get an additional three- or six-month membership, respectively, upon completion of the program.
The free programs come just a few months after the Allentown location reopened following fire damage.
More information is being provided to those who submit this Google document.
More information on the Y’s 7th Grade Initiative Pathway program can be found at the YMCA of Bucks and Hunterdon County website.