YMCA of Coastal Carolina pitches expanded after‑school, water‑safety and community health programs to Horry County board

David Bird, introduced to the Horry County Schools board as CEO of the YMCA of Coastal Carolina, told members the YMCA intends to expand its youth, health and safety programming across the county and neighboring Georgetown County.

Bird outlined five strategic priorities for the YMCA over the next five years: teen career and college readiness, increased access to childcare and early‑learning readiness, community health initiatives (including chronic disease support and Parkinson’s programming), mental‑health partnerships, and water‑safety training.

"We're not a church and we're not a religious organization," Bird said, describing the Y’s Christian‑founded principles and emphasizing the group’s practical programming goals. He highlighted partnerships already in place — Horry‑Georgetown Technical College and Coastal Carolina University among them — and said the organization is exploring formal collaboration with the Horry County School District.

Bird described current operations in the region: a single after‑school site in Myrtle Beach that serves about 75 children and broader programming that together serves roughly 448 children across Horry and Georgetown counties. He told the board that YMCA fees are income‑based and that 30–40% of participants receive financial assistance through the YMCA’s fundraising and partner support.

The presentation included program examples the YMCA said it would offer in school‑adjacent or community sites, not requiring a full gym or pool. Bird highlighted a portable pool prototype for water‑safety training — a metal‑framed, 10,000‑gallon pool that can be assembled in about 90 minutes and moved between communities — and said that model, funded in neighboring counties, could be launched locally next spring. He noted the YMCA’s summer 'safety around water' programs have reached hundreds of children in recent years and identified drowning prevention as a priority.

Maurice, identified as an after‑school program coordinator, described the YMCA’s daily routine in its after‑school program: roughly 30 minutes of homework support, an hour outdoors for physical activity, snacks and a weekly reading program called 'Freedom Readers.'

Board members asked about staffing and safety. YMCA presenters said after‑school staff are paid part‑time employees (many of them students) who complete about 30 hours of risk‑management and behavior‑management training annually in addition to on‑the‑job training; staff are CPR and first‑aid certified. The YMCA said it maintains ratios generally between 1:10 and 1:15 and keeps a site director on duty.

Bird said state funding helped the YMCA open an office in Conway and hire an executive director; the organization expects to pursue additional space options and anticipates public announcement of its multi‑year plan in January. He closed by offering the YMCA as a partner to expand programming in the county rather than by seeking immediate board action or funding.

The board thanked the YMCA delegation and moved on to other agenda items.