MYC After School Program: November!

We cannot believe we are in month three of our After School Program, with over 230 registered members so far! The MYC is closed on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, in observance of Veterans Day. We will have a small group of members, walking in the Veterans Day Parade, representing the MYC. If you would like to join, click here. On Monday, November 25, 2025, there will be no after-school. On Tuesday, November 25th, we will have our annual Thanksgiving Meal for all registered after-school members from 3pm-5pm.There is no after-school program from Wednesday November 26th, through Friday, November 28th.

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 November 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 be 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 a turkey dinner! This program will take place on Monday, November 3rd 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, 11/4 and 11/18 at 3:30. If interested in participating, please email Joanna at jabrantes@milfordma.gov.
• Cornerstone Intergenerational Program: This month, join the residents and make sand art on Wednesday, 11/5/25 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 worrying and ways to control it! Please email Joanna to sign up your child by 11/5 by 1:00pm. The Social Emotional Learning program will be held on Thursday 11/6 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.
• Life Skills: This month’s program will be run by David Abrantes. This Life Skill program is the Lego Creator Workshop; the children will each have their own Lego building kit where they will work independently and make their own working mini basketball hoop! This program is scheduled for Friday, November 7, 2025, at 3:30pm. Reserve your child’s spot by 11/3/25 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. There is no Book Club on Monday, 11/10/25. 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 atjabrantes@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, 11/6, 11/13 and 11/20 beginning at 3:15pm.
• Sewing: Join volunteer, Vicki, who will lead a sewing program on Wednesday, 11/12 beginning at 3:30. They will be making turkey stuffers! Spots are limited so please contact Joanna at jabrantes@milfordma.gov to reserve your child’s spot no later than 11/10 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, 11/13 at 3:30-4:30pm. You must sign up in advance (limited space) Please contact our Program Coordinator, Joanna, at jabrantes@milfordma.gov by 11/10 at 1:00pm to sign up your child!
• S.T.E.A.M: On Wednesday, November 19th at 3:30pm, join the S.T.E.A.M program! This month our After School Members will be given the opportunity to do a hands-on activity involving science, technology, engineering, art, and math with our curriculum funded by a grant from the Milford Cultural Council! This month the children will make their own soap! Sign up with Joanna: jabrantes@milfordma.gov by 11/19/25 by 1:00pm.
• Think Outside the Box Thursday: This month, the kids will be given portions of pictures, but they are not allowed to finish them with the obvious, they must “think outside the box”! They will also have to solve a puzzle and figure out the colors of the shapes by process of elimination! It will be held on Thursday, 11/20 at 3:30. This will allow the youth to get creative, solve puzzles, finish half drawn pictures, think quickly 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 this month on Friday, November 21st at 3:30.
• Nail Salon: On Friday November 21st at 3:15pm, a staff member will be doing some fun, thanksgiving and fall themed designs!
• MYC Thanksgiving: On Tuesday, November 25th from 3-5pm, all current registered after-school members are welcome to join us for our annual MYC Thanksgiving event! The surrounding community and local businesses volunteer and donate to this event for the youth of Milford. There are main dishes, endless sides, desserts, and drinks! If you haven’t been to this event before, you are going to be amazed, and if you have, well, come ready to eat and have a good time!

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.
• 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: ###a href="https://milfordyouthcenter.org/behavioral-policy/">behavioral,

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.