Strong Y Campaign

Day after day for 146 years the YMCA has fulfilled its promise to the community: “putting Judeo - Christian principles into practice to build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.” YMCAs have supported youth development, promoted healthy living and modeled social responsibility for decades.

Through good times and bad the Y has always been there, serving and responding to challenges with solutions that demonstrate the Y’s core values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, Responsibility and Faith.

Leading the way the YMCA and JCC have effectively collaborated with schools, universities, hospitals, churches, government and other organizations to improve the quality of life in our community.

The past 20 years have been a period of rapid growth for the Y. Through numerous collaborations, the YMCA and JCC of Greater Toledo’s annual membership and participation soared to over 70,000 and 300,000 respectively; making our local Y one of the nation’s largest.

To accommodate demand, the Y built new facilities in West Toledo, Perrysburg and Bedford Township, Michigan and expanded program services in North Toledo, Central Toledo and Downtown. In addition, the JCC, Wayman Palmer and Wolf Creek Y’s were renovated and the South branch was relocated to the University of Toledo’s Health Science Campus.

Storer Camps, in operation since 1918 and serving 20,000 campers each year, addressed essential infrastructure needs. Construction of four new lodges, a dining hall, and nature center was completed. Good stewardship required land acquisitions, water front improvements and a sewer system to preserve the camp’s 1300 acre natural environment.

Throughout the expansion period, YMCA operations remained strong, generating sufficient revenue to maintain facilities, to subsidize programs and scholarships for youth and families in need, and to service unavoidable, necessary capital debt. However, in October 2008 Toledo’s financial world was turned upside down and our region is now struggling to adapt to a new economic reality caused by a long and severe recession.

For the YMCA, what was once a reasonable and acceptable level of debt and operating expense suddenly became unsustainable. In response expenses were stringently reduced and continue to be adjusted for savings as conditions permit. But, in difficult times there are more children and families who require YMCA programs and services, resulting in greater demand at a time of declining resources. Recently, government funding for childcare and social services has been reduced; and with further reductions expected, a serious situation will become much worse.

Responding to this unprecedented challenge, the Y is launching The Strong Y Campaign. With a goal of $3 million, the financial gap will be significantly reduced and a financially sound YMCA will be able to continue answering the needs of children, families, and adults throughout Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.

In the past, the Y has relied on the generous support from the citizens of our communities to grow and expand program services, to build and maintain quality facilities and to address unmet needs in neighborhoods.

Now the Y needs your help to be a Strong Y that can lead the way toward a more promising future for all.