MYC After-School Program: December 2025!

We cannot believe we are in month four of our After School Program, with over 280 registered members so far! Friday, December 5th, we will be open from 10:30am to 3:00pm for registered after-school members only. On Monday December 22nd we will have a holiday party from 3:00-5:00pm. There is no after-school program on the following dates: 12/23, 12/24, 12/26 and 12/31. We are closed on December 25th and will be open for open gym from 12:00pm to 3:00pm for registered after-school members only on 12/29 and 12/30.

The Center will be getting work done on the building, so you will see scaffolding and construction. We advise you to park across the street and/or the road on the allowed side. There will be an area fenced off in the parking lot across the street as well for construction materials, but one half will be left for MYC/Town parking! Thank you!

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 on the front court to ensure a variety of sports are played during the after-school program.
• Quiet Zone: Monday through Thursday beginning at 3:00pm, use this quiet time to get your homework done, play a board game, read a book or just get away for a little bit in a quieter space! Sign up on the day of, calendar permitting!
• MYC Cooking Program: Join volunteer Pam in the cooking program and make tacos! This program will take place on Monday, 12/1 at 3:45pm. 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!
• 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 Tuesdays, 12/2 and 12/16 at 3:30. If interested in participating, please email Joanna at jabrantes@milfordma.gov.
• Cornerstone Intergenerational Program: This month, join us and take a short road trip in our new MYC van to visit the residents at their facility and play Bingo on Wednesday, 12/3/25 at 3:15pm! All are welcome the kids can sign up the day of, or before with Joanna at jabrantes@milfordma.gov. 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. Leah Martel, the Enriched Life Director and Alycia McCallum, 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!
• Social Emotional Learning: This month we will focus on self-esteem! Please email Joanna to sign up your child by 12/10 by 1:00pm. The Social Emotional Learning program will be held on Thursday 12/11 at 3:30pm. This program is designed to help our youth learn about and manage their emotions and interactions with others and build the core social and emotional competencies including self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, social awareness, and relationship skills needed to succeed in school and thrive in life. This program is made possible by a $6,400 Community Grant from the Greater Milford Community Health Network (CHNA-6). Sign-up is required.
• Nutrition: Join Carly of FitFunCarly on Friday, 12/12 at 3:30pm! This month on the menu, make adorable holiday-themed snacks made with fresh fruit and marshmallows! If your child has food allergies, please reach out to Joanna at jabrantes@milfordma.gov for specific food ingredients. With the registered after-school members who have signed up in advance for this program, she will help them to prepare ingredients in a fun manner to show that healthy snacks can be not only easy but tasty too. Sign up your child by 12/9 by 1:00pm. This Program would not be possible without the collaboration with the UMass Memorial – Milford Regional.
• Life Skills: This month’s program will be run by Barbara Kessler of the Attorney General’s Office. In this Life Skill program, “Savvy 18”, she will talk about the important things to know before you turn 18. This program is geared toward members that are between the ages 13-18. This program is scheduled for Wednesday December 17, 2025, at 3:30pm. Reserve your child’s spot by 12/15/25 by 1:00pm! It will be 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. If you are interested in registering your child, call the center or email Joanna at jabrantes@milfordma.gov.
• Book Club: Join Sam Cesario of the Milford Town Library, weekly on Mondays at 3:30. This year, the MYC Book Club will look a little different. You can read your schoolbook or personal book during the program. Or take the time to chat about the book, ask questions and spend time with others who also enjoy reading. This is a drop-in or sign-up program. Reach out to Joanna at jabrantes@milfordma.gov.
• Weight Room: This program is run by Victor Canino and will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 3:30pm-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 program time. They can stay until their routine is complete. We were also able to get a new TV that allows us to connect to Spotify so the kids can get pumped and listen to (approved) music and get motivated and have fun while working out!
• Boxing: The Boxing program is 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. This year, David Abrantes will also be a part of this weekly program. David will assist Brian in all aspects of this program. 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, 12/4, 12/11 and 12/18 beginning at 3:15pm.
• Sewing: Join volunteer, Vicki, who will lead a sewing program on Wednesday, 12/10 beginning at 3:30. They will be making felt ornaments! Spots are limited so please contact Joanna at jabrantes@milfordma.gov to reserve your child’s spot no later than 12/8 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, 12/18 at 3:30-4:30pm. You must sign up in advance (limited space) Please contact our Program Coordinator, Joanna, at jabrantes@milfordma.gov by 12/16 at 1:00pm to sign your child up!
• MYC Cinema: The MYC Cinema will be showing a holiday themed movie this month on Friday, December 19th at 3:30.
• Nail Salon: On Friday December 19th at 3:15pm, a staff member will be doing some fun, holiday and winter-theme designs!
• Holiday Party: Join us in some holiday crafts, games, raffles and more during our after-school program from 3:00-5:00pm!
• 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 2-day tournament. Youth participants of 1st and 2nd place teams will receive medals which will be awarded at the end of the tournament. All members of the youth center who would like to participate may sign up at the Center. There will be a mandatory meeting on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 3:30. Games will be played on Wednesday, January 14th at 4:00pm and the Championship game will be held on Thursday, January 15th at 4:00pm during our after-school program. 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.

For more information on the programs, click here

For online registration forms click below:

• English
• Spanish
• Portuguese

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.
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. Our weekly food distribution program with Spoonfuls is currently full, if you would like to be added to the wait list, please email Joanna at jabrantes@milfordma.gov. 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.

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.
• 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.

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