MYC After School Program: June 2025

For the food programs that we offer please see below:

1. The Youth Center offers a free snack and dinner program, due to the collaboration of CACFP, Hockomock Area YMCA, and the Milford School Food & Nutrition Services department. Please click here for our weekly menu!
2. Please click here for more information about the monthly Hockomock Area YMCA Pop Up Food Pantry. Please note the time change!
3. Please click here to learn more about our weekly collaboration with Spoonful’s, formerly Lovin’ Spoonfuls.  Spoonful’s is dedicated to their food rescue mission, which helps bridge the gap by facilitating the rescue and distribution of healthy, fresh food that would otherwise be discarded. If you are a member of our programming and would like to sign up to receive weekly rescued groceries, click here (limited space).

Basic information about the After School Program:

• The Milford Youth Center is not licensed by the Department of Early Education and Care or any other state agency;
• Registered youth may arrive at or depart from the program at any time during their time at the program.
• As of Monday, February 28, 2022, we will be mask optional. It is important to note that we will support all members and staff who choose to wear a mask after the mandate is lifted. It is possible if conditions shift that masks may be required again sometime in the future as well. This does not change our policy in terms of attending being sick and/or having COVID symptoms. If you don’t go to school due to any type of illness you are not allowed to attend the Center.
• Please make sure your child brings a water bottle with them daily, to refill.
• There is no hanging out in front of the MYC property unless students are waiting to enter and/or to be picked up.
• All students must be picked up by the time of closing, unless they walk home. Pick-up is outside of the youth center at 24 Pearl St (use intercom to communicate with the front desk).
• The Youth Center is not responsible for the care or supervision of children beyond program closing time.
• All lost and found items without names on them are donated and/or recycled (water bottles) at the end of each month as it accumulates quickly! Please remind your child/participant to check daily as they exit.
• Please visit our polices here: behavioral, weather, health and traffic.
• For video of rules, produced by Milford TV click here (video was made prior to mask optional, just FYI).
• For more information on the programs, click here.

Respiratory Virus Guidelines:

On March 25, 2024, we were informed that Massachusetts Department of Public Health recently updated their guidance:

Staying home to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses | Mass.gov

This guidance aligns with recent CDC updated recommendations for respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 which were released on March 1, 2024

This guidance is for respiratory viruses like Influenza, RSV, and Covid-19 as they share similar transmission methods, symptoms, and prevention strategies. This unified approach aims to simplify recommendations and address common risks more effectively.

The new CDC guidance for respiratory virus:

• When you have ANY respiratory virus–stay home and away from others if you have respiratory virus symptoms. These symptoms can include fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, and headache, among others.
• Return to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:

• Your symptoms are getting better overall, and

• You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication)

• When you go back to your normal activities, take added precaution over the next 5 days, such as taking additional steps for cleaner air, hygiene, masks, physical distancing and/or testing, when you will be around other people indoors.
• Keep in mind that you may still be able to spread the virus that made you sick, even if you are feeling better. You are likely to be less contagious at this time, depending on factors like how long you were sick or how sick you were.

HOW HAS ISOLATION GUIDANCE CHANGED?

The updated Respiratory Virus Guidance recommends that people stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after both their symptoms are getting better overall, and they have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication). Note that depending on the length of symptoms, this period could be shorter, the same, or longer than the previous guidance for COVID-19.

It is important to note that the guidance doesn’t end with staying home and away from others when sick. The guidance encourages added precaution over the next five days after time at home, away from others, is over. Since some people remain contagious beyond the “stay-at-home” period, a period of added precaution using prevention strategies, such as taking more steps for cleaner air, enhancing hygiene practices, wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping a distance from others, and/or getting tested for respiratory viruses can lower the chance of spreading respiratory viruses to others.

We considered multiple options for adjusting isolation guidance at different lengths of time. In addition to fewer people getting seriously ill from COVID-19 and having better tools to fight serious illness, CDC considered other factors such as the personal and societal costs of extended isolation as well as the timing of when people are most likely to spread the virus (a few days before and after symptoms appear). The updated guidance is easy-to-understand, practical, and evidence-based, as well as more aligned with long-standing recommendations for other respiratory illnesses.

In addition to CDC’s Respiratory Virus Guidance, there are several special considerations for people with certain risk factors for severe illness, including older adults, young children, people with weakened immune systems, people with disabilities, and pregnant people.

To read the complete report, click here. Also, CDC has created an information FAQ page for the new respiratory guidance, available here.