El Paso, Texas (KFOX14) — There is a lot more happening at Armed Services YMCA El Paso than most people realize.
We visited the organization’s Northeast El Paso campus and sat down with Executive Director Jerry Jacobitz to understand how its programs fit together. What may look from the outside like a child-care center and administrative office is part of a much larger support system for military children, spouses and junior-enlisted service members. Through some of its assistance programs, the organization also reaches veterans and other El Paso residents experiencing financial hardship.
The national Armed Services YMCA traces its work with military families to 1861. It is an association of the YMCA of the USA, but it operates as an independent military nonprofit focused specifically on active-duty junior-enlisted service members and their families. Locally, Armed Services YMCA El Paso connects families stationed at Fort Bliss, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base with no-cost and low-cost services. Military service serves as membership, so there is no membership fee to join, although individual programs may have participation costs or eligibility requirements.
“We have a really unique mission, and that’s really to enhance the lives of our service members and their families,” Jacobitz told us.
That mission is organized around three practical areas: alleviating financial hardship, caring for military children and strengthening family well-being. The structure matters because the pressures of military life rarely stay in one lane. A deployment can affect a child’s behavior at school. A permanent change of station can interrupt a spouse’s career. A child-care shortage can become a financial problem, and an unexpected expense can affect a service member’s ability to focus on the mission.
Child Care That Supports the Whole Family
One of the most extensive parts of Armed Services YMCA El Paso is its network of child-care and youth programs.
The Child Development Center provides state-licensed, low-cost child care and preschool programming at a Texas Rising Star Four-Star accredited facility. The curriculum incorporates literacy, creativity, social development and fine and gross motor skills. Reliable child care gives children a consistent learning environment while allowing military spouses to work, pursue education or manage daily responsibilities during deployments and other transitions.
The Children’s Waiting Room addresses a more specific challenge: what happens when a parent has a medical appointment but does not have anyone available to watch the children. The free program provides up to two hours of supervision for children ages 6 months through 12 years while their parent attends an appointment. Armed Services YMCA El Paso operates waiting rooms at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center East Clinic and the Mendoza Soldier Family Care Center. Reservations are encouraged, while walk-in care depends on availability.
In our interview, Jacobitz also introduced Mission Watch, a newer child-care initiative designed to help military spouses pursue meaningful employment. The program provides no-cost, short-term child care so spouses can attend job interviews, career fairs, training, networking appointments or meetings with career coaches. Fort Bliss is one of three initial pilot locations, along with installations in Killeen, Texas, and Oceanside, California.
That is a very specific barrier being addressed with a very practical solution. Military spouses often have to rebuild employment and child-care arrangements after a permanent change of station. Giving someone a dependable two-hour block of care can create the space needed to take the next step toward a job.
Programs for Children at Different Stages
The organization’s youth programming continues well beyond traditional child care.
Operation Little Learners is an interactive education program for parents and children ages 3 through 5. Parents receive tools that help them serve as their child’s first teacher, while children participate in activities involving phonics, writing, art, music, nutrition and fitness. The program also gives newly arrived parents and children an opportunity to meet other families navigating many of the same military-life transitions.
For elementary-age children, Operation Hero is a free, 10-week after-school program designed for military students in grades two through five. Participants receive homework assistance and work through age-appropriate lessons involving self-esteem, responsibility, feelings, conflict resolution, bullying prevention, deployment and family separation. Locally, the program is available to students at Fort Bliss Elementary.
Operation Summer Camp gives children a structured place to stay active, build friendships and continue learning while school is out. Activities include games, creative projects, outdoor play, swimming and educational field trips. Meals are included, and financial assistance may be available for qualifying families. The program is designed to help children develop confidence, social skills, teamwork and healthier ways to manage conflict.
The local service directory also points military families toward the Armed Services YMCA’s Annual Art and Essay Contest, which gives military children a way to share their experiences and perspectives through creative work.
Food, Clothing and Household Assistance
Financial relief is another major part of the organization’s work.
At the Junior Enlisted Family Center on Fort Bliss, families can access the No-Cost Food Market, Cost-Free Thrift Store and Baby Project. Available resources may include shelf-stable food, produce, frozen items, diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, children’s clothing, personal-care products and household goods.
The No-Cost Food Market uses a client-choice model, allowing registered households to select the groceries and essentials that work for their family instead of receiving a predetermined package. The food-assistance program is open to military families, veterans and El Paso community members who need support. Armed Services YMCA El Paso also participates in a weekly drive-through food distribution at the El Paso VA Health Care System.
“We’re just out there helping out and trying to alleviate some of that financial hardship and really make sure that our service members and their families know that they’ve got a home away from home,” Jacobitz said. “Seasonal programs extend that assistance during times when family budgets can become even tighter.
Operation Holiday Joy includes holiday meals and gifts for eligible junior-enlisted families. Its local activities have included Operation Harvest Helpings, which provides a traditional holiday meal, and Cookies with Santa, where families can gather for treats, photos and gifts for children. During our interview, Jacobitz said the branch distributed 1,000 Thanksgiving meals at Fort Bliss and another 1,000 gifts during the previous holiday season.
Operation Ride Home helps eligible active-duty junior-enlisted service members and their dependents manage the cost of traveling home during the holidays. The program may assist with airfare or vehicle travel for families who otherwise could not afford the trip. Application periods and eligibility details change by cycle, so families should confirm current information directly with the El Paso branch.
A Place to Stay During Military Schooling and Transition
Armed Services YMCA El Paso also operates The Lodge, which provides extended-stay accommodations for active-duty service members traveling for military schooling, training or other qualifying circumstances. It is used by students attending the Sergeants Major Academy and by service members who need a temporary place to stay during an important point in their military journey.
It is another example of the organization’s “home away from home” approach. The goal is not to provide one universal service. It is to identify the real pressure points military families encounter and build programs around those moments.
How the Community Can Support the Mission
The range of services also means Armed Services YMCA El Paso depends heavily on donors, sponsors, community partners and volunteers.
“No nonprofit can run without a really solid volunteer corps,” Jacobitz said. “We always need more volunteers. We always need more people that are willing to donate to our programs.”
Volunteers can help with food distributions, youth programs, the Child Development Center and other needs both on and off the installation. Opportunities are managed through the U.S. Army Volunteer Management Information System. Community members can also support the organization through one-time or monthly donations, food and essential-goods contributions, the local Amazon Wish List, sponsorships and corporate volunteer projects.
The part that stayed with me is how specific each program is. This is not a general promise to “support military families.” It is child care during a medical appointment. It is a safe place after school when a parent is deployed. It is two uninterrupted hours for a military spouse to attend an interview. It is a bag of groceries, a winter coat, a trip home for the holidays or a temporary room while a service member completes training.
Military life changes quickly. Armed Services YMCA El Paso is built to remain one of the constants.
YMCA 3.png About Armed Services YMCA El Paso
Primary Address:
7060 Comington Street
El Paso, TX 79930
Main Phone: (915) 263-7164
General Email: elpaso@asymca.org
Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Official Website: elpaso.asymca.org
Programs and Services: View the full service directory
Membership and Program Registration: Join Armed Services YMCA El Paso
Locations and Contact Directory: View all locations and department contacts
Key Service Locations
Child Development Center
7061 Comington Street
El Paso, TX 79930
(915) 263-7164, ext. 100
Junior Enlisted Family Center, Food Market and Thrift Store
2004 Sheridan Road
Fort Bliss, TX 79906
(915) 263-7164, ext. 107
Children’s Waiting Room, WBAMC East Clinic
18511 Highlander Medics Street
Fort Bliss, TX 79918
(915) 742-0975
cwrelpaso@asymca.org
Children’s Waiting Room, Mendoza Soldier Family Care Center
11335 SSG Sims Street, Room A160
Fort Bliss, TX 79918
(915) 742-9926
cwrelpaso@asymca.org
Support and Participation Links
Donate: Make a one-time gift
Monthly Giving: Become a monthly supporter
Volunteer Registration: U.S. Army Volunteer Management Information System
Corporate Sponsorships: Become a community partner
Employment: View Armed Services YMCA job opportunities