As a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the Y was created in response to social challenges, and remains to this day a lifeline in communities around the world. The Y understands the challenges that keep individuals from reaching their full potential and responds with services and support which help people to be self-reliant, productive and connected to the community. Each Y responds to the unique issues influencing the community and provides support through services focused on critical areas, such as child welfare, community health, job training, environmental education, quality of life and family services. Below are a few examples of how the Y is providing support to millions of people nationwide.

Education and Employment Training

A key factor for individual and family stability is the ability to earn an income to support themselves and loved ones. Y programs such as adult literacy, GED preparation and job training are critical to helping people bridge skills gaps and start on a path towards employment and self-sufficiency.

Swimming and Water Safety

Young people in underserved communities often do not learn the critical water safety and swimming skills necessary to keep them safe, which results in a disproportionate number of deaths and injuries each year. The Y is working to address this important issue by offering learn-to-swim programs and raising awareness of the importance of water safety in urban communities nationwide.