YMCA
reviews and complaints

My name is Lydia Kowalczyk, conservator for my sister Gloria Kowalczyk My sister was a member of the Y in Ellington, Ct, till they closed her member ship I spoke this month.

My sister was hit by a car the day before Thanksgiving and her R leg was run over twice. I called the Y in Ellington in November and told the man on the phone I would like to put a hold on her membership till she is able to return. He said no problem, and that was it. I noticed after 3 months she was being charged $38.40 a month. I spoke with a Manager named Justin. He told me we just hold for 3 months. No one explained anything to me In other words no money back and closed her account.

I am angry my sister is on Social Security disability and her income is very little.

I wanted to go higher up in the organization than manager Justin in Ellington, CT not sure who . That is why I am writing to you.

Sincerely,

Lydia Kowalczyk [protected]

1170 Hartford Tpke

Vernon, ct

I registered my son for fall soccer but because I didn't know the time and because I am divorced and share legal custody, practice would have coincided with sons visits with his father. Tball during the summer was different because he has extended time with his father. I emailed to cancel months before the program started. Was told I got a credit for 3 months. There was nothing else offered that my son was interested in or thst would work w the visitation schedule. I get a discounted membership bc Im poor. The refund from this would've helped me buy clothes and supplies my son needs. I'm actually very surprised by this coming from a non profit whose goal was to help the underprivileged. Especially in a time like this when the economy is so bad, people like me are struggling even more to make ends meet. I wanted a fun outlet for my son. W tball in the summer, I also signed him up for basketball. Well over 100.00. I lost 75.00 due to him not even being able to attend bc schedules were not released till the week before and the schedule had bball right after tball which cut into my sons father's time. I'm out 150+ dollars now that I can not afford to be out. This is ridiculous. I need that money back. You're getting my membership fee already! I will leave a review on Google, yelp, and BBB till something is done.

On 08/09/22 I was at the YMCA in Brookfield CT with my family and we were lap swimming, me and my husband, but we had our 2 years old daughter with us so I was waiting for him at the beginning of the lane, when a guy named Emilio Ortega kicks my daughter's sandals aside, and the tells me I need this lane, and I just couldn't believe that he was talking to me like that, so I told him that I was lap swimming and I was waiting for my husband to come back because he was also lap swimming, then he said Okay and leaves. Once my husband came to grab our daughter, I started to swim and he approached my husband and tells him, you need to move I need this lane, and my husband told him, there are other empty lanes on the other side of the pool, you can use them, and I noticed that something was happening so I swim back to them and I asked what is happening, my husband tells me, this guy that is here talking to me with attitude, and being disrespectful, then I told him why are you talking to us this way and he says I am the manager and I says well you should know better and treat people in an educated way, he said I did, and I said you did not, you even kicked my daughter's sandals to the side, and he says no I didn't do it, so he was being cynical, and I decided to ask his name and he says EMILIO ORTEGA, and you can complain about me, but not now, and I said I will make a complaint about you but when but on my time, not when you tell me to do it, and the entire time he was being confrontational , trying to argue, and I just wanted him to leave us alone, because if the problem was that were with our daughter on the lap swimming lane, I would have moved if he had spoken to me with respect, but he did not.

Today 08/10/22 I went to the office to complaint with the person in charge of that YMCA location, I asked for Campbell or Gail, but Alex came to talk to me, she is the Aquatics director and she tells me, is this because of what happened yesterday? I said yes, but I want to talk to someone on top of you and she says I am in charge of Emilio and, he had all the right to tell you to move, because he told me earlier today what happened yesterday and I said well did he tell you that he was disrespectful with me and my husband? she said well he had to tell you to move if you were not following the rules, and I said I do follow the rules but I didn't want to be moving from one side to the other side with the baby because I agitate a lot ( this because of my high risk pregnancy) and even if I made a mistake he doesn't have the right to talk to me in the way he did, and she says what do you want me to do, he won't lose his job because he has been here for 10 years, and I said that is not the point but I was expecting to find someone with more empathy, and you should put yourself in my shoes, I come with my family in great mood, we sing when we come and we sing when we go home and is not right to have someone interfering with our peaceful moment, and I said do you think that I want to waste my time coming here talking to you providing false information, and I started to cry, and when she saw me crying she said, I apologize, I understand that he shouldn't talk to you that way and she kept saying I am not giving excuses but is hard to deal with a lot of people and since the beginning she was trying to accuse me of me having the fault of him being disrespectful, and then she says since all the time that you came here how many times you experienced something like this, I said never, this was the first time, and she says well it was just once, and I said this shouldn't ever happened, I'm still shaking and yesterday I went home crying because of the altercation.

At the end I told her that I was going to email corporate because I felt that I was not being heard and there was no empathy. She apologized again but I think that even though she apologized she was not having any empathy with me or with what happened to me as a member in the YMCA in Brookfield CT.

The executive director at the oldham county ymca got rude and spoke down to me before calling me a liar and hanging up. Our vehicle got towed after we were told it would be ok at least for the weekend while the building was not being used it was in front of. Yet when I got off work it was towed. We even left a note saying if there were issues to call and no one did, not to mention we are members of the ymca! I called to speak to someone about it and at first no one would get back to me and the executive director finally did and that's when he treated me badly. He looked at the cameras while we were on the phone and saw me trying to get the car going and I wonder if he saw that I was black and that is why he started being nasty, calling me a liar and hanging up.

Jordan Greene

[protected]

My daughter almost drowned when she was in the camp. The accident happened in another location (Chesterfield Aquatic Center, St. Louis, MO), not in the facility of camp (YMCA is the organizer of the activity).

Based on the report from the local police department, I think that YMCA should be responsible for the accident. I tried to request an accident report from YMCA, and was told that the accident did not happen in YMCA, therefor, no report. So far, no one contacted me to explain why and how the accident happened.

There is a male camp counselor who is discussing sexual orientation with third grade boys. Whether he encourages this conversation or not, he does not discourage it. There is also discussion of "all boys being gay." There is also discussion of "Men being able to have babies." The camp counselor then called my husband am myself then proceed to tell me that he was changing the policies of the camp. If my son did not listen to ONE verbal cue that he gave, then I would have to stop my workday, and come pick him up. I then asked what would happen if her required more verbal ques for following directions, because boys do. Then he proceeded to tell me that he would no longer be able to attend camp there, and he the camp counselor was going to kick him out. He then proceeded to tell me that he is in school to be a teacher. Along with the fact that he is having therapy sessions to discuss "feelings." He is not YET a teacher, and he is not a therapist. I asked this guy what my son was going to almost get kicked out of camp, it turns out that he was pulling out a few extra paper towel out of the holder. I find out that my kid wanted to be sent home, he could tell that this guy was bad news, but he couldn't find the words to tell me that he was a GROOMER! He then tells me that was looking at him go to the bathroom. I find out that he put his hands on my kids shoulders EVERYDAY, even though they have an NO TOUCH policy. I find out that this guy pulled my kid aside during a movie and asks him if "he feels lonely at home", and "are you alone?" What kind of sicko do you have working at the YMCA with CHILDREN? The YMCA is full of MANDATED reporters, yet not one of them called. The YMCA agreed with me that this perpetrator violated many of the YMCA's policies, yet he is still working there. This guy called FIVE other boys families and gave them this bogus line about OBEYING him or being kicked out of camp. The YMCA is clueless about what is going on. Your children are not a safe. From bullying, to grooming, watch your children. The investigation is still going on.

Re: Your Hotel Request Number [protected]

From:

[protected]@optonline.net

To:

executive.[protected]@priceline.comx

July 28, 2022

Afternoon,

I got your email about the "NO REFUND." I will make

a call and also email the BBB office and complaint about

how I was treated both by Westside YMCA and Priceline.

I have already put an email complaint about the Westside YMCA

treatment and how I was treated with no respect and as if I was

from another planet because of my "color!" I will take this further

as to perhaps getting a lawyer and even to inform the newspapers

about no getting my money refunded. My lawyers will most definitely

get back to you about my refund.

Juana Vasquez

MSW Social Worker

Westside YMCA Hotel

I never got to the room for my nephew. As your information says on

your "website" FREE CANCELLATION and also says...Picture ID.

We both had picture ID and my nephew was turned away because

his photo ID was not the right one. Or I should say, NOT THE RIGHT

COLOR. I will most definitely call 311 about this and will also email

the BBB and complaint about my REFUND.

Hope I do get my refund soon. I already put Priceline on the BBB list

for complaints.

Juana Vasquez

MSW Social Worker

I applied with YMCS Stones Town Pre School San Francis campus since Feb of 2022. I spoke with the director Jenny Lam and also emailed with her through out the time period from Feb to July of 2022 regarding wait list and enrollment of my child. Majority of the time she's not responsive and when I got hold of her, she said she is busy and will contact me back. As of July of 2022, I still unable to get my daughter enroll even though she indicated in Feb that she will let me know when there's opening at San Francis campus and later advised there's opening at the LOCS campus.

I was later hear that some people able to get enrolled because they offered some "Gifts" to the teachers and staff there. I am uncertain why I have been waiting for 5 months and still not able to get enroll, especially giving the fact that she advised "there is opening". I am uncertain if that is because I have not offer any "Gifts" to the teachers or the directors.

Feel free to give me a call at [protected]

YMCA campus web: https://www.ymcasf.org/programs/preschool-stonestown-0

Jenny Lam contact:

Child Development Director

Stonestown Family YMCA

333 Eucalyptus Dr, San Francisco, CA 94132

(D) [protected] • (M) [protected]

(E) [protected]@ymcasf.org • (W) ymcasf.org

I paid $350 for 1 week of Camp. I received an invoice for an outstanding 150$. I called & asked for information on why I was receiving this invoice. The camp administration told me that the balance I paid was considered "deposit" money for the weeks I had originally planned on attending but cancelled (ahead of time) and that the deposit money could not be applied to the total invoice so there for a balance owed.

1 week of camp is $285.

I explained that I thought nontransferable meant that this was not to be transferred between their programs ( the YMCA has several programs,camps, buildings in our are etc) since their website did not specify where or what the nontransferablilty applied too.

The camp refused to apply the $350 I paid them for my original invoice to the 1 week of camp for $285. ITS AN OVERPAYMENT.

I pulled my son out of camp, he did not attend the full week and lost $350.

My son hadn’t gone to the YMCA summer camp all but one year and it was about 4 years ago? Because he too was treated poorly by staff members forcing him to swim when he was scared and yelling at him. I found these comments today on a mom page on Facebook and feel something should severely be done at the Waco YMCA. There is multiple more posts and comments due to the same reasoning and no outcome.

This place is a joke. During Covid they shut down and continued to still charge people. My mom called to cancel and they honored over the phone. For a year or so the acct was done. I redid a new acct for my daughter for an after school program and gave them my card. I moved out of Ottawa in March of 2022 and canceled my bank. After the Y tried to take money and nothing was there they took off of my moms card for 5 months. That card should of never been on file. They had no authorization to take money. This place is like a scam artist. Shelly and Carrie are horrible on not doing any investigation. I hope people quit going here and join some other membership. Over priced and dirty place. Don't waste your money here.

I fell down and twisted my knee and was screaming due to the excruciating pain and the swim coach literally just stands there and watched as if nothing happened! This happened at the elkton Ymca

Hello,

I have been a member of South Shore YMCA for 5 years or more. The pool area is out of control with people flooding lanes while people are swimming and swearing uncontrollably and unnecessary. It’s totally disrespectful to others like myself who follow all the rules. The lifeguards do not do anything and I am sure its out of fear as I was a lifeguard earlier in life. One woman last week told a very nice man he *** kicked her and said out loud so the entire place could hear here swear upon swear and he said he was going to report her. I am seriously afraid that someone is going to get hurt there including myself.

There definitely needs to be some supervision there as kids camp is there now and members are getting upset of what’s going on not only myself. I have been myself approached by a member with nothing but hate and stay away and have discussed with my husband of finding another respectful place to swim for my fibromyalgia etc. I am willing to report this to the Quincy Health Department as well as Attorney General’s Office etc. before something happens there.

I have discussed with the management in the past but it seems to change hands frequently.

Sincerely,

Beth M OHalloran

I have been a member of the Newton Ymca for about 17 years until I was recently banned for life due to a personal speaker. This was my second offense with the personal speaker so I know I was in the wrong and I understood I should probably be punished for it. The first offense I was banned for a month. But this time the new director of memberships decided to ban me and my whole family for 6 months and they had no part in the incident at all. 2 months into the ban he decided to just terminate all of our membership without warning. We called to complain to his superiors but he claims there’s nobody above him to complain to. I would at least like to get my 10 year old brother back in there who was involved in several of the youth sports through the y but they refuse.

My son goes the the YMCA traditional summer camp. He was asked to stay home for a couple days due to, what they described as, behavioral problems. When I talked to the staff they could not tell me any concrete examples of what he did wrong on several instances. I told them that I thought asking him to leave was an overreaction. They did elaborate on one instance where yes he was in the wrong but still minor. It was a situation where no counselors were supervising and the situation should have been avoided with proper staff and supervision.

Friday 7/1 I took my 2 year old to the pool. The pool hours tab online wouldn’t open so I didn’t know the baby pool was closed until I got there. The member service person said it was closed indefinitely due to lack of lifeguards. There were about 45 people there and 1 lifeguard. An hour or so later there were 3 or 4 lifeguards got in the pool and were horsing around getting the attention of everyone there including the guard on duty. They were simulating a drowning experience as a test for the only lifeguard on duty to take his eyes off the members and jump in to save the guard. I know it was a test because he kept asking if he passed. Then camp kids got there and the slide which was closed to the public miraculously opened for the camp kids. I get there aren’t enough lifeguards but don’t distract the only one on duty with training that should happen after public hours. I tried to complain and the lady I spoke with told me if I was offended by something that happened I could fill out a form. I wasn’t offended I felt unsafe

On Friday, June 17, the Southeast Family YMCA Summer camp director Brad calls my daughter at 2:00 p.m. and informed her that her daughter was kicked out of summer camp and could not return due to her spraying suntan lotion on another child’s face. Following are the words Brad, Southwest Family YMCA Summer Camp, Director told my daughter, Ashli.

What time are you picking up, Kaylah?

She is kicked out of Summer Camp and not allowed to return.

She has been walking the line the entire summer.

My daughter Ashli had to hang up on Brad due to his inappropriate words and unprofessional words he was stating about her daughter.

Later that day, my granddaughter stated Brad kicked her out of his office. It is my understanding that Kaylah said spraying suntan lotion on the other child’s face was a mistake. But Brad went back to review the cameras and made it an effort to state to my daughter and my granddaughter that she was lying.

No person should have to be treated in this manner no matter the color of their skin. This is unacceptable. I am not excusing the behavior of my granddaughter spraying the suntan lotion in another child’s face but the manner in which the Director handled it was unprofessional and needs to be investigated. My daughter (Ashli) is a single parent, in which the YMCA featured her as a spotlight, so they know she is a single parent.

Please know I will tell the story to many.

Hello, we have used YMCA summer camp for our children the past 4+ years. One reoccurring situation is lack of communication and follow through with the site Director Ericka Hurt. Examples: Our account was charged in excess due to communication not flowing to the appropriate department (that was the reasoning given) That resulted inconveniencing our family with extra costs not being refunded but applied to future camp weeks. We communicated face to face and via email and this happened a second summer. When we communicated our frustrations to the site director, nothing was taken care of and our in person discussion was lead with attitude from the director. I regret not filing a formal complaint that year.

This summer year, I left multiple voicemails with the director to get direction on paying for our summer aftercare. I was helped or transferred to the site directors phone to receive support. I received a response from Ericka on Friday 6/10/22, to pay first thing Monday morning or our care would be cancelled. We attempted to pay this morning. The front office communicated there were zero charges due to our account. I also witnessed other customers frustrated just this morning with not being able to communicate with Ericka.

If a customer is directed to seek a certain staff member, it would be helpful if they were available at the time they suggested. I hope this is not something all family's go through when utilizing YMCA camps.

I will add, the front office staff and camp staff have always tried to help at the best of their ability to find a solution.

I was able to speak to a person over the phone who happily took my money. I signed my son up for volleyball and I got on their membership plan to get the volleyball at a cheaper price. It's been two months now and I have made several phone calls and went in person. I did get the coaches business card but when I called the number it was just to the ymca and I can't get him to call me back.

While I understand the sport are volunteer based my money should've never been taken for a team that didn't have a coach. We should've played 4 games to date and have only seen 2 games. The flag football sport with barco Newtown has quite honestly been the worst place my son has played a sport. Pictures were suppose to be last week at 810 in the morning and when the team showed up no one there knew anything about pictures for flag football despite us receiving a schedule. And to top it off this season was schedule with fields that we have been told we can used on game days either due to the maintenance or other events going on on the fields already . I have sent emails to the athletic director as well as called multiple time and no one has called me back . I've even asked to speak with a director on site of which I was told today they were not there . I am extremely upset and wish to have a refund as all we have gotten out of this season is a dri fit t shirt. There are many parents who are extremely unhappy with the way that this season has gone.