Organization Profile
- Overview: The Y is an inclusive organization of men, women and children joined together by a shared commitment to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living and fostering a sense of social responsibility. The Y is community centered, listening and responding to our communities. The Y brings people together connecting people of all ages and backgrounds.
- Mission & Values: With a mission to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all, our impact is felt when an individual makes a healthy choice, when a mentor inspires a child and when a community comes together for the common good.
- "We know that lasting personal and social change comes about when we all work together. That’s why, at the Y, strengthening community is our cause. Every day, we work side-by-side with our neighbors to make sure that everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive."
- About the Organization: The YMCA is the nation's leading non-profit organization that has been successfully growing over the past 160 years. More than 10,000 neighborhoods in the U.S. engages in the Y. The Y is committed to helping people and communities to learn, grow, and thrive and ensures that everyone has opportunities to become healthier, more confident, connected and secure.
- History: In 1844, George Williams (a 22 year old man from London) joined 11 friends to organize the first Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), a refuge of Bible study and prayer for young men seeking escape from the hazards of life on the streets. A marine missionary, Thomas Valentine Sullivan from Boston, saw this organization and was inspired to form the first U.S. YMCA in Old South Church Boston in 1851.