The YMCA of Chatham-Kent has announced its yearly fundraising goal for 2024 is $100,000.
Two donations were also presented during the campaign kick-off in Chatham on Thursday -- $15,000 from TekSavvy Solutions Inc. and $5,000 from Waste Connections of Canada.
The YMCA thanked donors for the impact they’ve made in helping them make sure that YMCA facilities, programs, and services are available to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.
In Chatham-Kent, The YMCA offers health, fitness, and aquatic programs, camp programs and services, child care and school age programs. In 2023, YMCA of Chatham-Kent provided $168,400 in financial assistance, approximately $15,000 a month, to families, children, adults, and seniors in the community.
"This represents 33% of our membership receiving some level of support. With the current inflationary pressures our members and community face, we anticipate the need to only grow," said YMCA of Southwestern Ontario VP of Development Christina Harley.
YMCA of Chatham-Kent member, Robel, also shared how important the Y is to him and his family during the campaign kick-off.
“The YMCA is my heaven on earth, and a safe place to heal my heart, mind, body, and soul. After escaping civil war in the Tigray state of Ethiopia as a child, I was first introduced to the Y where I learned to swim and attended camp. I’m back more than a decade later with my five children and wife. Now it's basketball, swimming, working out in the weight room, and enjoying the steam room," Robel told the crowd. "I love that there is a variety of healthy activities for my children, from my four-year-old to my 17-year-old. The Y has upgraded our lives as a family. It's something you must experience personally!”
Last year, through the support of donors at the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario, 35 per cent of Health and Fitness members received financial assistance to access health and wellness programs, according to YMCA's Vice President of Marketing and Communications Elyse Sheare.
She said that’s over 10,000 people across the region, adding the YMCA also connected over 4,400 newcomer youth and adults to employment services and English lessons.
YMCA of Southwestern Ontario was founded in 1856 and has over 200 locations from Goderich to Point Pelee, and Windsor to Woodstock.
The YMCA is one of the largest not-for-profit providers of licensed child care in Canada and have over 100 school age programs across the province.
They also offer settlement services to newcomers, employment programs, mental health supports, and youth programs.
YMCA of Southwestern Ontario operates two overnight camps, one in Point Pelee National Park, and one on Beausoleil Island in Muskoka.
They also have 15 Health & Fitness branches across Southwestern Ontario.
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