YMCA takes COVID-19 battle head-on

The city unit of the Young Mensrsquo Christian Association YMCA has offered its wellfurnished International Guest House of 75 Rooms to house their Doctors Health Care Professionals and Asymptomatic patients In addition we have provided masks gloves and medical equipment to the Nair and Kasturba Hospitalsrsquo for the medical professionals working on the frontlinesIn the first phase of the relief operations we have been able to cater to 20000 persons 4000 packets by providing them with dry rations and groceries Cooked food to the slum dwellers daily wage earners migrant workers street beggars rag pickers and construction workers has crossed 100000 One Lakh thresholdA special mention here is of our volunteer team ably led by our regular lsquoDhobiwalarsquo Laundry Man who have earned the sobriquet lsquoScooter Saviorsrsquo has enabled us to reach the unreached pockets from CST to Colaba Market right up to the slums at Cuffe ParadeThe victims have now become saviors Thanks to the ladies who are housed at YMCA Sharan a shelter for destitute women run with the help of BMC have reached out to the unreached in the slums at SakinakaOur counselors trained at the Counseling Institute at Navi Mumbai are available on call daily for those who are in distress stress and undergoing anxiety symptoms during this lockdown periodldquoWe acknowledge the contributions of our partners who have joined us in this mission during this time of the lsquovirus crisisrsquo Muthoot Finance ATE Chandra Foundation Rotary Club of Bombay Rotary Club of Mumbai Central Rotary Club of Queenrsquos Necklace Rotary Club of Versova and Rotary Club of Mumbai Elegant A special thanks to the BMC Mumbai Police and Navi Mumbai Police who helped us with the permissions and the necessary assistance As we begin our next phase we would like to enlist the support of Mumbaikars in this hour of needrdquo Paul George general secretayCEO told MidDayThe Bombay YMCA blessed with its vast infrastructure network and committed team of staff and volunteers at strategic locations ranging from Colaba to Navi Mumbai was able to promptly and efficiently respond to the pandemic that gripped our cityHistorically HelpfulThe Bombay YMCA since its inception in 1875 has always risen to the occasion whenever calamities have struck the cityBeginning with Relief operations during World War I amp II the Army barracks were maintained by the YMCA and the Army Officers used the YMCA at Colaba for its operations Over the past 145 years our experience gained in the 3 Rrsquos Rescue Relief and Rehabilitation has grown exponentiallyDuring the earthquake at the Latur and Osmanabad districts in 1993 Bombay YMCA led in the relief and later rehabilitation of two villages of over 200 families including the construction of the primary school and the community centre We were recently recognized for our efforts by the then Chief Minister Shri Sharad PawarWhen the communal riots broke out in the early 90s the YMCA was called in as Peacemakers between the communities in Agripada and Mumbai Central The Army used the premises of the Procter YMCA at Agripada as their base for their operation In addition Bombay YMCA constructed close to 50 tenements at Ramabai Nagar Ghatkopar in collaboration with a major newspaper groupEach time the city was submerged due to the deluge and came to a standstill the YMCA opened its centresBranches providing shelter and food for the strandedDuring the terrorist attack of 2611 the YMCA was home to many Mumbaikars and foreign nationals at various YMCA centres spread across the cityHow to contactFor further details and more information follow us on Instagramymcabombay Twitter ymcabombay Facebook ymcabombay EmailgeneralsecretaryymcabombaycomCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news