Lake Nona YMCA Family Center — Local services in Orlando

Very unhappy YMCA member! I always thought the YMCA was a non-profit association dedicated to the Youth development in the surrounding areas. I thought it was a place that less fortunate youth they could go and play sports with their peers and have a place to belong as opposed to being in the streets etc.

Their motto - from their website: " Our promise is to never turn anyone away from the YMCA for their inability to pay. The Y's Strong Kids Campaign makes it possible for children, adults, and entire family to participate through membership and programs by providing financial assistance during times of need. We have a responsibility to every member of the community, but especially the children.

• I cant tell you based on personal experience that this is not the case. We have been turned away for the inability to pay for the 5 kids. We were told by the centers main manager to contact the Children's & Families offer and ask for money from them to pay for the membership.

We are currently fostering 5 kids that we are hoping to adopt this year. A sibling group of 5 -6,7,8,9 & 12. The 5 have been in the foster system for many years and never together and when they came to move to our house which is close to the Lake Nona YMCA we thought this would be a great experience for them to finally be together in a save environment and especially during the Summer for the Summer Camp to only find out that it is unaffordable. We expressed our interest and filled out all the necessary paperwork required to only find out that not all YMCA's offer the same benefits to less privileged youth in the Foster System. The YMCA at Lake Nona offers very minimum discounts when other locations offer discounted or free memberships and camps to kids in foster care. The pricing is very high and there is no way we can afford the membership and camps for the 5 kids. We have expressed our financial need and have hoped for any discounts that would be provided to other foster kids from other counties be offered here locally and we were have been turned away on multiple occasions! We are extremely disappointed in the lack of attention being given to kids from foster care in central Florida. It makes no sense as all YMCA locations should offer the same benefits and discounts in all counties. It is very unfortunate that the kids are the ones that will suffer. I wanted to let everyone be aware of the misconception that the Y is stating in their websites and motto.

"WE" - "THE KIDS" HAVE BEEN TURNED DOWN FOR THE INABILITY TO PAY! Don't believe everything you hear or read about the YMCA - we are...

I needed to get my daughter signed up for summer care so I can work. I contacted the Y and they said without a membership it would cost $275 a week. With a membership it would only be $155. So, because I cannot afford nearly 300 a week as a single mom with only my income to care for my child, I signed up to become a member in April 2019. A week or 2 later after paying for the month of April, I started filling out the summer program paperwork. I was disturbed by a form stating " YOU ARE AGREEING TO LET YOUR MINOR CHILD ENGAGE IN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ACTIVITY. YOU ARE AGREEING THAT, EVEN IF [YMCA] USES REASONABLE CARE IN PROVIDING THIS ACTIVITY, THERE IS A CHANCE YOUR CHILD MAY BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS ACTIVITY BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN DANGERS INHERENT IN THE ACTIVITY WHICH CANNOT BE AVOIDED OR ELIMINATED. BY SIGNING THIS FORM YOU ARE GIVING UP YOUR CHILD'S RIGHT AND YOUR RIGHT TO RECOVER FROM [YMCA] IN A LAWSUIT FOR ANY PERSONAL INJURY, INCLUDING DEATH, TO YOUR CHILD OR ANY PROPERTY DAMAGE THAT RESULTS FROM THE RISKS THAT ARE A NATURAL PART OF THE ACTIVITY. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TO SIGN THIS FORM, AND [YMCA] HAS THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TO LET YOUR CHILD PARTICIPATE IF YOU DO NOT SIGN THIS FORM." Therefore, I chose to not let my child enter the summer program with the YMCA. I went in and spoke with Sharon at the front desk who assured me there was nothing to worry about and that it was just a form. I decided to think about it for a couple days but knew I was not going to sign that form. I went in to cancel my membership and was reminded that there is a 30 day cancelation policy. I understand this policy but do not feel it was right for me to have to pay for a month that I will not use. I have never been given a tour, never went past the front desk, was never given a printed membership card. Yet, today $108 was taken out for the last payment of membership. I reached out to Salvanzo, who is in charge of memberships, I was told he was when I called to speak with someone. I emailed him asking if the fee could possibly be waived or lowered since I never used the facility and only canceled because I was not comfortable with the summer program for my child. I never heard back from Salvanzo and I feel it is not right for me to have paid. I am disappointed, and close to mother's day. My paychecks are how I care for my child and to have 108 dollars taken out hurts how I care for my child. I will not return to the YMCA for a...

We’ve been members of the Y for years because it’s part of our HOA and the Y won’t let us go. Here’s the deal. If you live in Northlake park you go because you pay for it. That’s it. Many people continue to pay due to our HOA but are going to the performance center, crunch, orange theory, f45, and hot works just to name a few.

Reasons:

It’s small, there isn’t a lot of room to do sets, and all the machines are very close together. Many of the machines are worn and there’s no place for circuit training on your own except for an small area in the middle that has a sign that says it’s for personal training use only. The gym has a kind of depressing feel to it. Nothing that speaks “lake Nona or luxury” about it.

The classes have gotten stale. Same teachers for years and they haven’t kept with the times. I believe they had a cycling class for a bit but couldn’t turn the lights off because of safety, and they changed rooms and were literally in a closet with the door open. It was a joke.

The pool looks old and even through it’s the NLP community pool it has very strict hours and the kids can’t play in the pool if there’s swimming instruction occurring.

The locker room is gross and there is a small curtain that states no one under the 18 should be allowed in that area but I’ve been walked in on by under age children a couple of times. It makes me feel unsafe.

Shares a building with a school. No matter what they say- unless they have a metal detector scanning bags these kids are vulnerable.

Staff looks miserable and tired when you actually see them on the floor.

We pay full price for a gym but it’s tired. I get the summer programs and kids soccer is a great addition but it’s not inclusive at all. No special needs programs and a neighborhood program it should have something...