CFA is pleased to announce that we have awarded a total of $185,000 from our Community Initiatives Fund to the Forged Futures Cohort. Forged Futures includes nine organizations—The Greater Johnstown Community YMCA, Coaches for Kids, Flood City Youth Fitness Academy (FCYFA), 1st Summit Arena, New Day Inc., Windber School District, Big Shotz Elite, Penn Highlands Community College, and Hope 4 Johnstown. These organizations together serve youth between the ages of 6 to 25 in Cambria and Somerset Communities.
Forged Futures offers programming seven days a week, 50 weeks a year at various times throughout our communities. This provides consistent support and opportunities for youth to receive the tools and support they need to become an active part of society. The programs allow for physical activity, creative expression, mentoring, and leadership development. In turn, this can lead to better academic performance, better social relationships, and better opportunities for work later in life.
“Forged Futures is one of our region’s best examples of collaborative programming,” said Angie Berzonski, Community Foundation for the Alleghenies’ Associate Director. “Not only have they grown from a partnership of four nonprofits to nine all working together to create opportunities for youth and young adults, but they have also attained an impressive variety of revenue streams to support the work. It’s been encouraging to see the level of engagement and programmatic growth from each of the partners involved.”
What began in 2021 as “Safe Spaces” has developed into Forged Futures with the help of Representative Jim Rigby and the 1889 Foundation. The program supports their vision of providing opportunities to reduce violence, improve mental health, improve community development, and encourage positive mindsets in youth. At the time, Safe Spaces included four organizations—YMCA, Coaches for Kids, FCYFA, and 1st Summit Arena.
“As one of the original four organizations to grow from Safe Spaces into Forged Futures, we are extremely proud of the work we are doing for our kids in this community,” said Ann Gustkey, CEO of the Greater Johnstown Community YMCA and administrator of Forged Futures. “We want our kids to feel a part of the community they live in—growing in—and that one day, they are contributing to as members of this same community. Unfortunately, too many kids don’t have the resources they need—financially, emotionally, physically, or socially—to create opportunities and develop skills needed later in life. We want to give them a safe place outside of school where they can grow and flourish to become who they are meant to be.”
“But we also have to give the Greater Johnstown Community YMCA a lot of credit,” added Berzonski. “Not only are they successfully implementing their own youth mentoring and recreation programs, but they’re also acting as the fiscal sponsor for this initiative and coordinating all of the various moving pieces, funding, and schedules.”
By Karen Hoffman, YMCA
