Stronger Together: Working with YWCA Hanover to serve families better
In Hanover, meaningful progress happens when organizations work side by side to meet shared needs. That’s why we’re excited to shine the spotlight on our collaboration with our partners at YWCA Hanover.
At the heart of this partnership is a simple but essential service that began this school year: YWCA Hanover provides daily breakfast and lunch for children in Community Progress Council’s early childhood education classrooms across the street, part of our newly-expanded Hanover hub at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church.
Last September, Community Progress Council strategically re-located our Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) program to St. Matt’s to co-locate services in the same location as two of CPC’s early childhood education Head Start classrooms. This Hanover hub is also staffed with Navigators and Coaches to listen to a family’s needs, provide referrals, and help them connect with supportive services and one-on-one coaching within Community Progress Council.
In our classrooms, meals are served family-style, as teachers encourage children to serve themselves, try new foods, and be a helper in cleaning up afterward. Exposure to new foods, healthy ingredients, and consistent nutrition goes a long way toward each child’s ability to grow up strong and focus on learning.
“The Y has been a great partner to us,” said Melissa Saint Cloud-Coates, Health and Nutrition Manager for Community Progress Council. “They handle the breakfast and lunch for our classrooms, mirroring our guidelines under CACFP, which makes menu planning a breeze.”
It’s also a tremendous help to our small (but mighty!) Food Service team working to coordinate logistics of breakfast, lunch, and snacks to more than 300 children across 20+ classrooms in York County.
Strengthening outcomes
While the logistics is one piece, our partnership also enables CPC and YWCA Hanover to strengthen outcomes for children and our families.
“Many of the families served through Head Start reflect the populations we aim to reach through our own programs,” said Sherri Staub, Chief Financial Officer at YWCA Hanover. “This partnership allows us to work collaboratively toward shared goals and strengthen the network of support available in the Hanover area.”
“This partnership aligns closely with our mission to empower individuals and promote equity within our community,” Sherri added. “Ensuring children have access to nutritious meals is a foundational step in removing barriers to success and supporting overall wellness. By working alongside Community Progress Council, we are helping to create healthier environments for children and families, which is central to the work we do every day.”
More than just an operational decision, our partnership shows our values in action, building a healthier, more connected Hanover — one meal, one classroom, and one partnership at a time.