Alberta & Aurora

Ask anyone juggling full-time work and parenthood—it’s a lot to manage! For Alberta Ramirez and her family, the Missoula Family YMCA eases some of that stress by offering out-of-school programs that allow Alberta to work while her daughter, 7-year-old Aurora, is cared for in a safe, nurturing environment.

When Alberta and her partner, Jadrian, moved to Missoula five years ago, they quickly realized they needed child care.

“Both my partner and I work full-time. While we do have some family in town, they’re older, and so we started looking for consistent child care options,” explained Alberta.

That’s where the Y stepped in. For the past three years, Alberta has turned to the Y for programs including summer camp, soccer, swim lessons, and after school care. When COVID-19 shutdowns began, Alberta was especially grateful for the Y.

“The Y really supported us during the pandemic,” said Alberta. “When schools switched to remote learning, I quickly realized it wasn’t possible for me to both complete my work and help Aurora with her school assignments.” When Alberta learned about the Y’s full-day enrichment programs to support students and families during COVID-19, she enrolled Aurora.

“The Y was set up to support Aurora during remote learning,” she said. “Aurora’s schoolwork got done at the Y, and I was able to get my work done, too.”

Today, Aurora has just started second grade and is back in the classroom. However, Alberta still turns to the Y for support during out-of-school times.

“During the school year, we rely on YMCA After School and School’s Out Day Camp,” said Alberta. “Not only are the counselors great, but the hours are helpful … It’s little things like this that help families out in a big way.”

“Aurora, Jadrian, and I are so grateful to the Missoula Family YMCA,” she added. “We love being a part of the Y family, and I don’t know what we’d do without it!”