Driving Social Responsibility

Why the Downtown Orlando YMCA's Heroes Salute and First Responders Program is Important in So Many Ways

Today, as we remember the tragic events of Sept. 11, it’s important that the Central Florida region comes together to not only honor the victims of that fateful day, but to forge new relationships and enhance existing ones with friends and neighbors in an effort to make our local communities better places to live, work and play.

As the Downtown Orlando YMCA paid tribute to first responders earlier today, the gesture was one of both gratitude AND support. The Y is committed to its mantra of "always here for our community," and the efforts put forth to accomplish this are always heartfelt and sincere. The purpose of the First Responders Program is to recognize the commitment of all the individuals who put their own lives at risk every day to improve our quality of life. An enormous amount of responsibility falls on the shoulders of our region’s first responders, and their well-being shouldn’t be neglected while they respond to our needs. By offering support in ways best suited to our organization’s strengths, we reinforce the fabric of the community by sharing our resources with others. We understand that good mental, physical and family health make our heroes even stronger, which in turn does the same for our region.

The Downtown Y will continue to be here for you, our community neighbors and partners, in an effort to enhance quality of life for everyone. We will continue to offer programs and services focused on healthy living, youth development and social responsibility because that kind of mission work is never really completed ... and because it’s the right thing to do.

So, from this day forward, when you see a first responder, thank them for their service because when you think about it, we’re all in this together. A community is only as strong as its weakest link, and it can’t thrive when hungry and/or homeless children can’t flourish in school or when our health care providers and patients are overwhelmed by the costs of preventable diseases. Only as a united front can we truly make a difference ... so let’s make a difference together.

For more information on our First Responders Program and other upcoming community initiatives, contact our Member Services Department at 407.896.6901.