We cannot believe we are in month four of our After School Program, with over 320 registered members so far!

On Friday, December 6, 2024, we will be open from 10am-3pm for registered after-school members only. On Friday, December 13, 2024, we will have an Admin Day and there will be no after-school program. On Monday, 12/23/24 and Tuesday 12/24/24, there will be no after-school program. We will be closed on Wednesday, December 25, 2024, in observance of the Christmas holiday. On Thursday December 26, 2024, Friday December 27, 2024, and Monday December 30, 2024, we will be open from 12pm-3pm for registered after-school members only. And finally, on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, there will be no after-school program. 

For a look at the December calendar, click here.

For more information about programs see below:

• Open Gym, Game Room, and Free Dinner & Snack: Open gym and the game room (will have limited availability this month due to Holiday preparation) are non-structured program spaces, where youth are allowed free play and choose activities. Members are also able to get a free dinner and/or snack in the /lounge area. At 4:00 pm, when we have the capacity, we use the back court for other sports such as soccer, volleyball and football and only allow basketball in the front court to ensure a variety of sports be played during the after-school program.
• Quiet Zone: Quiet Zone will take place Mondays through Thursdays beginning at 3:00pm. It offers students a quiet space to access our computer lab and to do their homework or read.
• Weight Room: This program will be overseen by volunteer Victor Canino. It will give kids in grades 6 through 12, an opportunity to use the weight equipment safely. This program will take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 3:00 pm-5:00pm, calendar permitting. Youth can follow circuit weight training, free weights, a personal regimen or request assistance and guidance. They are not required to spend the full 2 hours. They can stay until their routine is complete.
• MYC Cooking Program: Join volunteer, Pam in the cooking program and bake and decorate cookies! This program will take place on Monday, December 2nd at 3:30pm.  If your child has food allergies, we do advise that they do not sign up for this program for the safety of your child. This program has limited spots so please email Joanna at jabrantes@milfordma.gov to reserve your child’s spot!
• Arts & Crafts: Arts & Crafts is led by Program Coordinator, Joanna Abrantes. This program encourages youth to draw, paint, and craft projects to develop their artistic talents. Arts & Crafts gives kiddos a creative outlet that allows their imaginations to flourish and will be run on Tuesday, 12/3/24, 3:30pm. Kids can sign up when they arrive after school.
• Life Skills: This is our third year running the Life Skills program in honor of our former board member Ron Taylor. The Life Skills program is going to teach our youth skills that can carry them into their adult years. This month’s program will be run by Felicia Vaytsman of the Scouts of America, Mayflower Council. She will teach knot tying techniques, knife safety and the 6 must-haves for the outdoors. She will also provide information to those interested in joining the Scouts! If you are interested in registering your child, call the center or email Joanna at jabrnates@milfordma.gov by December 17, 2024, at 1:00pm. This is a program that requires advance sign ups and commitment. This program will be held on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at 3:30pm.
• MYC Youth Council: The MYC Youth Council is a leadership and community service-based group, created to encourage MYC members to help make a difference in the community through facilitating several youth community events as well as taking part in volunteer opportunities! Registered after-school members, ranging in ages from 8-18, can join this program and commit to making changes together! The Youth Council will be held on Tuesday, 12/10/2024 at 3:30 pm. If interested in participating, please email Joanna at jabrantes@milfordma.gov
• Cornerstone Intergenerational Program: Cornerstone at Milford has partnered with the Milford Youth Center to offer intergenerational programs during the after school program! This program allows the seniors and the youth of Milford a chance monthly to spend time together and with MYC staff. This month, the residents have chosen to decorate holiday cookies on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 3:15. Leah Martel, the Enriched Life Director and Judy Garrick, the Director of Community Relations are thrilled to continue this relationship with the Milford Youth Center to create an intergenerational partnership between our residents and the youth within the town of Milford!“ They communicated that “we love to give back to our associates, our community, and most importantly, our residents!
• Sewing: Join volunteer, Vicki, who will lead a sewing program on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, beginning at 3:30. They will make winter-themed ornaments! Spots are limited so please contact Joanna at jabrantes@milfordma.gov to reserve your child’s spot no later than 12/10/24 by 1:00pm.
  
• Milford TV: Milford TV will be running their program, thanks to the returning staff, Dominque and Chase. They give the students an opportunity to learn videography skills along with creating their own multi-media projects! This program will run on Thursday, December 12, 2024, 3:30-4:30 pm. You must sign up in advance (limited space) Please contact our Program Coordinator, Joanna, at jabrantes@milfordma.gov  to sign your child up!
• Boxing: The Boxing portion of this program will be run by volunteer, Brian Bell. Brian was trained by Coach Pablo Ramos beginning in the Natick and Framingham area. Brian is a boxing coach with over 52 years of coaching and boxing experience. He is a Milford resident and has volunteered in running the boxing program at the youth center in the past. The goal of the program is to teach self-confidence, respect, and discipline with incredible physical work out. His personal hope is for the students to see their progression from their hard work in the program! This program will run on Thursdays, 12/5, 12/12 and 12/19 beginning at 3:15pm.
• STEAM program will take place December 9, 2024, at 4:00. Does your child want to be an entrepreneur? They will have to come up with a plan, alone or in a small group, to help food waste and insecurity in the community. They will brainstorm, develop a pitch to communicate their solutions and ideas and finally, identify and action plan. In February, two members from the 4-H team will be here at the Center, to judge the children’s Pitches in a “shark-tank” like manor! Registered after-school members must sign up and commit to this program by 12/6/24 by 1:00pm. Contact Program Coordinator, Joanna Abrantes at jabrantes@milfordma.gov to reserve your child’s spot!
• Think Outside the Box Thursday: Think Outside the Box Thursday is a new program this year! It will be held on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at 3:30. This will allow the youth to get creative, solve puzzles, finish half drawn pictures, think quick to answer riddles, answer “would you rather” questions, and so much more, all while “Thinking outside the box!”
  • MYC Cinema: The MYC Cinema will be showing a holiday themed movie, “ELF!” this month on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 3:30.
  • Gardening: On Tuesday December 17, 2024, at 3:30, kids will create a winter-themed gardening project, thanks to our amazing volunteer, Phyllis Foley, from Green Leaf Gardening! Phyllis has a message to the families of Milford Youth Center members: “The Junior Gardener Program meets monthly at the youth center and is one of the center’s activities. Sponsored by the Greenleaf Garden Club of Milford, it is a free program, usually the 4th Tuesday of the month from 3:30 to 4:30. The goals are to introduce kids to the joys of gardening, to explore the environment and to create art using plants and materials from nature. It is open to all youth center members.”
  • Nail Salon: On Monday, December 16, 2024, at 3:30pm, a staff member will be doing some fun winter nail designs!
  • Volleyball Tournament: We are excited to bring back our Milford Youth Center Volleyball Tournament which begins in just a couple of weeks from today! This is a wonderful event for the after-school youth members to get active, stay team orientated and get involved in some fun competition. This will be a 4-week long tournament. Youth participants of 1st and 2nd place teams will receive medals which will be awarded at the end of the tournament. Games will be played on Wednesdays at 4:00 pm during our after-school program. All members of the youth center who would like to participate may sign up at the Center. There will be a mandatory meetingon Thursday, January 2, 2025, at 4:00. If interested in volunteering or participating, please contact jabrantes@milfordma.gov or 508-473-1756 for more information! We are also looking for volunteers to referee and keep score during our tournament. Games will be played once a week on Wednesdays, beginning 1/8/25, and the final championship game will be scheduled for Wednesday, January 29th at 4:00 pm.

For more information on the programs, click here.

• 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.

All participants of the Youth Center must annually fill out our registration form to be a member. Once this form is completed, members will receive a key tag and ID number if they are new to the program. This is our way of tracking attendance, so please make sure all members bring their key tag to enter. If key tags are lost, the Youth Center will charge $1.00 for a replacement. Members will also be able to use our washer and dryer, free of charge, during our hours of operation. Members must communicate with MYC staff to assist with this process.

The Youth Center also 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! All dinners left over will be served the following day prior to the current day delivery.

For additional food programs that we offer please see below:

1. Please click here for more information about the monthly Hockomock Area YMCA Pop Up Food Pantry.
2. Please click here for our collaboration with Spoonful’s, formerly Lovin’ Spoonfuls.  Spoonful’s is dedicated to their food rescue mission. They 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 more information to receive weekly groceries, click here.

For online registration forms click below:

• English
• Spanish
• Portuguese 

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 recommendation 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, the CDC has created an information FAQ page for the new respiratory guidance, available here.