YM/WCA Newark & Vicinity — Local services in Newark

I give this place 2 stars for the handful (or less) of the people who work there who actually tried to help and make a difference in the families who are struggling . However, with that said there were unfathomable issues with the way this facility is run that people with the authority to change it seem to turn a blind eye. My family and I were residents here for about a month and a half when the pandemic hit hard and we were jobless, homeless and have our two small children under 3. Food was almost always stolen, bathrooms were perfect place to catch any other disease due to poor maintenance, rules that are clearly posted by each elevator yet are subject to change based off of whichever counselor was on duty that shift. Which speaking of these "counselors" on particular one had an issue with my husband for no particular, rational reason. 1st week with us being there he had said a remark that was meant to be funny to me about the use of a microwave and the counselor on duty Ms. McGuiver immediately assumed he was directing this comment to her and she took offense and began to be confrontational to him. There would be two more incidents with this Ms. McGuiver where she would ignore him speaking to her, not open our door, removed him from our floor for over 1,5 hours at 8pm while I had my children in the room. The final tipping point was when she again call security on my husband for playing music while he cooked my family and other family dinner, accusing him of breaking up the fun she was having with the other older children making tic tock videos. Mind you she had no face mask on, ignored social distancing rules, and was already playing loud music and having a large group of people in the kitchen area. Long story short I did not stand by and intervened when she was confronting my husband and security showed up where we were both threatened to be removed from the floor and directed to me if I wanted to "throw hands with her". I am deeply appalled by her actions in the month and a half my family was there and had spoken to Mr. Abdoul to take some action to correct thus behavior. I hope someone implements change there because families and individuals who are already in a tough situation do not deserve to be treated as such. Ms. McGuiver should not be a counselor at the YMCA or work in any facility where in the job description entails to be HELPFUL and RESPECTFUL to...

My time spent here was horrible. I'm even more traumatized now. I've already been traumatized from things that happened to me in my life. The female staff members at the Y are very jealous of other attractive women. Especially attractive black women. I watched how they do things. If you are pretty and with more than 1 bag, they will steal from you and try to throw you out for no reason at all. Maybe they don't want their boyfriends who live there to see u, or they just can't stand that you're pretty. They don't care that you will have nowhere to go. They are not professional here. Very ghetto and loud workers with no respect for other people. Even when you are trying to sleep at night. They call the staff Counselors, but they're not. Some won't even talk to you. I kept to myself and caused no trouble. Had no complaints about me. Some of the female workers there kept watching and bothering me. Opening my room without knocking. Luckily, i thought of ways to survive and fight back. I started videoing everything with a time stamp. Videoed my room before i left it and said the time I was leaving and coming back. I had to do this. I kept being robbed. I felt female staff members wanted me back in the streets with nowhere to go. They kept searching and taking my things. I cried everyday. I kept my room clean and followed all the rules. But they kept stealing from me and searching my things. I kept making time stamps. Came back and my whole room was searched through and my bags ripped open. When I got enough evidence, I immediately contacted the Director. I got his Assistant and then contacted my Case Worker. They did a meeting. If I didn't do those time stamps, i'd be in the streets today. It's so sad what they did to me at the Y. Should be illegal to do this to people. I see them doing it to other black women. These workers r black women doing this to other black women who have nowhere to go. I hope they hire professional White or Hispanic people who are not racist to us. Maybe a few white professional men too. Many black pple hate their own kind. Everytime i remember my time spent at the Y, tears would fall down my face. Happens EVERYTIME. I can't even pass that building without feeling pain inside. I avoid...

hypocrites from the Top of management on down.. My thanksgiven was not what I intended.. after my encounter with some lady that said she the boss overall.. about my loud music. Who proceeded to talk to me like Im Her child. In the lobby full of people.. was I wrong for the music being loud? Yes. But to make someone full like they can't and might be kicked out.. for it is crazy to me.. there is weed smoking on floors, staff going into my room when I'm not there .. front desk want you to put a mask on. But don't have one on when asking you.. or come in your room and floor with out one.. Rude to Residence with the exception of two wonderful staff that gets along with everyone.. it's sad to see a building that is meant to Do great things and give a hand up help people is seems like it's giving handouts,holding people down.. Nothing positive to say about the staff or building. It's like high school all over again. (Adults Bullying) Im having anxiety attack every time I walk out my door. And when I'm entering the building. It's sad that this is the only way I can be heard... I don't think Michael bright knows his building is being ran like this 🤔then again..... My name is Dyquawn and I said what I said. Y'all brought the YMCA to a new all-time low......