California Miramar University

This week we have unanimously voted to give our California Miramar University Small Business Spotlight Award to the San Diego Armed Forces YMCA, and it wasn’t a hard decision to make. The hardest part about this is trying to condense their remarkable services for our Armed Forces in just one blog post. Founded in 1920, they are San Diego’s oldest and largest non-profit organization dedicated to easing the strains of military life for active duty military personnel and military families.

With over 40 programs focused on family bonding and support, helping the children of military families and strong social networking, the San Diego Armed Services YMCA helps over 9,000 active duty military servicemen and women and their families in San Diego every month. An exceptional organization, their steadfast and unwavering dedication in helping our troops has had and continues to have a very positive impact on the San Diego military community.

For servicemen and women that have been injured in training or combat or have fallen ill, they make it a priority to make life as easy and comfortable as possible. By fulfilling requests of patients in hospitals (i.e. bringing them books, video games, hobby project materials, toiletries, music and even just having someone show up to hang out and play some board games), their reach extends far beyond their main office.

For military families, the San Diego Armed Services YMCA Family Outreach Department offers in-home counseling for free. With everything from marriage counseling and personal counseling to educating parents on raising their kids and providing emergency supplies to families that are struggling financially, their support for military families is unparalleled.

For the children of military families – who are very vulnerable at such a young age because of constant change, having to move to different cities and complex family dynamics – their Youth and Community Outreach Department offers myriad programs aimed at helping military spouses and children.

• Operation Kid Comfort is a program where volunteers make quilts for children ages 0-17, and has made over 4,000 quilts to date.
• The Mom & Tots Program helps foster child development, family bonding and provides a support network for parents.
• Operation Hero is a free after school program for children with either low confidence and self-esteem or those who have had a tough time adjusting to military life.
• Camp Hero is a weeklong camp coming up from August 7-12 helping kids cope with the difficulties of military life while traveling to some beautiful San Diego parks and helping kids connect with each other.
• Craft & Conversation Group is a weekly event where military spouses can connect with each other and discuss the struggles they’re facing. They also have a Kids Club to give military spouses the time and space they need to make this possible.

This is a look at some of the programs they offer, but just some; remember, they offer over 40 in sum. Their extensive volunteer network and dedication to not just active duty military servicemen and women, but also military spouses and children has created a palpable positive impact on the San Diego military community and we at California Miramar University are so proud of what they continue to accomplish.

We’ve gone to great lengths to support our troops and military families as well, as we are approved by the US Department of Veterans Affairs to offer GI educational benefits, offer Tuition Assistance. Our online MBA programs and Hybrid MBA programs are ideal for military servicemen and women, Veterans and military spouses to be able to earn an online business degree from wherever they are in the world, and be able to do so for a very affordable price.

That aside, however, we are so proud of our troops and their families and it is organizations like this that set the standard for military family bonding and outreach programs, and really highlights the importance of caring for our servicemen and women. Thanks you San Diego Armed Services YMCA for being such a role model and conduit for support for our troops. You are what makes San Diego such a wonderful place!