Metropolitan Young Mens Christian Association

OUR MISSION: TO PUT CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT BUILD HEALTHY SPIRIT, MIND AND BODY FOR ALL.

HEALTHY LIVING: AS PART OF OUR NEWEST STRATEGIC PLAN, THE YMCA OF GREATER FORT WAYNE IS COMMITTED TO MOVING OUR COMMUNITY TOWARDS BECOMING ONE OF THE TOP 10 HEALTHIEST COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE NEXT DECADE, AS MEASURED BY THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SPORTS MEDICINE'S AMERICAN FITNESS INDEX RANKINGS. CURRENTLY THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE RANKS 88TH OUT OF 100. THROUGH OUR MISSION TO PUT CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT BUILD HEALTHY SPIRIT, MIND, AND BODY FOR ALL, THE Y IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE BY PUTTING THE Y WITHIN REACH OF EVERYONE. WITH FITNESS PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES, YOUTH SPORTS, AQUATICS, OUR TRAIL BUDDIES ADAPTIVE CYCLING PROGRAM PLUS SPECIFIC PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES LIKE OUR DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAM, THE Y IS TRULY FOR EVERYONE. LIKE BROOKE, WHO FIRST JOINED THE Y TO MEET NEW PEOPLE AND SAYS, "MY FAMILY'S LIFE HAS BENEFITED GREATLY SINCE JOINING. I'VE LOST MORE THAN 20 LBS. IN THE LAST YEAR WHILE CONSISTENTLY WORKING OUT AND FEEL SO MUCH BETTER. MOST IMPORTANTLY I HAVE GAINED WONDERFUL FRIENDSHIPS WITH THOSE WHO WORK AT THE YMCA AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THEIR SMILING FACES. MALLORY, A SINGLE MOTHER WHO JOINED THE Y SO HER DAUGHTER COULD LEARN TO SWIM. "SHE LOVED THE PROGRAM," MALLORY SAYS. "SO, I DECIDED TO KEEP PUTTING HER IN MORE PROGRAMS TO KEEP HER BUSY. SHE LOVED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. I USE THE Y TO WORK OUT. THE Y MAKES IT EASY TO BRING MY DAUGHTER WITH ME TO THE KIDS CLUB. BEING A SINGLE MOM, IT'S HARD TO FIND TIME FOR MYSELF AND WORKING OUT AT THE Y HAS BECOME MY ESCAPE. MY DAUGHTER AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE Y AND ALL THEY HAVE TO OFFER. IT HAS BECOME A WAY TO BOND FOR US." MALLORY STATES THAT SHE AND HER DAUGHTER COULD NOT BE MEMBERS WITHOUT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. IN ORDER TO BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY, IN 2023 ALONE, THE YMCA OF GREATER FORT WAYNE CONTRIBUTED $2,288,887 IN FINANCIAL AID TO 32,883 INDIVIDUALS, ENABLING THEM TO ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF Y MEMBERSHIP.

OTHER PROGRAM SERVICE INCOME

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT: YOUTH PROGRAMS AT THE YMCA OF GREATER FORT WAYNE HELP CREATE A SENSE OF BELONGING, INSTILL CORE VALUES, AND ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE TO DISCOVER THEIR PURPOSE AND UNLEASH THEIR POTENTIAL. YOUTH TODAY FACE MANY NEW CHALLENGE. ATTENDING AN OVERNIGHT CAMP IS JUST ONE THE Y PROVIDES A CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY-FREE, SAFE HAVEN FOR DEVELOPING SELF-CONFIDENCE, MAKING FRIENDS, AND LEARNING NEW SKILLS. YMCA CAMP POTAWOTAMI PROVIDES ESSENTIAL MOMENTS OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUTH, INCREASING THEIR SELF-ESTEEM, SENSE OF BELONGING AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. "SEEING MY CHILDREN BE FREE AND ENJOYING THEMSELVES BRINGS ME TO TEARS" SAYS TRISH, A MOTHER OF TWO AND FORMER CAMPER HERSELF. HER CHILDREN CADE AND NATALYA HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT, FORCED TO HANDLE MANY ADULT-SIZED PROBLEMS AS CHILDREN. THEY CONNECTED TO YMCA CAMP POTAWOTAMI THROUGH ANOTHER LOCAL NON-PROFIT. BOTH CHILDREN WERE OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THROUGH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. TRISH FONDLY REMEMBERS HER TIME AS A CAMPER, ALSO THANKS IN PART TO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. TRISH CREDITS CAMP WITH BUILDING CONFIDENCE IN CADE AND NATALYA, ALLOWING THEM A SPACE TO BE PEACEFUL IN NATURE, MAKE NEW FRIENDS, TO FEEL THEIR SPIRITS SOAR, CREATING A COMMON BOND BETWEEN THEM AND GIVING THEM A CHANCE TO JUST BE CHILDREN AGAIN. THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF OUR MEMBERS, THE YMCA OF GREATER FORT WAYNE GRANTED $1,018,029 IN PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIPS TO 5,207 INDIVIDUALS.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: EVERY INDIVIDUAL DESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN, THRIVE, AND FLOURISH. THE YMCA OF GREATER FORT WAYNE IS COMMITTED TO HELPING FAMILIES IMPROVE THEIR FUTURE THROUGH ACCESS TO THE Y'S LIFE-CHANGING PROGRAMS. PEOPLE LIKE EBONY, WHO SAYS "I AM GRATEFUL TO HAVE HAD FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM Y CHILDCARE. WITH THE CHANGE IN SCHOOL BUS ROUTES AND START TIMES, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITHOUT Y CARE. CHRISTY, WHOSE SON HAS ADHD AND AUTISM. "Y ON THE FLY HAS GIVEN MY SON A SAFE SPACE WHEN IN PAST YEARS OUR PARK HAD BEEN OVERRUN WITH TEENS THAT SCARED THE KIDS. IT'S BUILT A SENSE OF COMMUNITY THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS SERIOUSLY LACKING. IT HAS HELPED HIM DEVELOP AND PRACTICE HIS SOCIAL SKILLS. I CAN DROP HIM OFF AND FEEL 100% CONFIDENT THAT HE IS SAFE, HAVING FUN AND LOVED." OUR YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU CONTINUES TO TIRELESSLY ADVOCATE FOR YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY, HELPING YOUNG ADULTS LIKE ADREION GROW AND SUCCEED. ADREION HAD MISSED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF SCHOOL, WAS SUFFERING ACADEMICALLY, AND PRESENTED SIGNS OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. ADREION WAS HOMELESS AND FORCED TO COUCH SURF WITH FRIENDS. IF THIS WASN'T ENOUGH, ADREION WAS FACED WITH THE DEATH OF A CLOSE FRIEND WHO WAS KILLED BY GUN VIOLENCE IN 2023. HE FOUND IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND HOPE IN THE FUTURE. ADREION PARTICIPATED IN OUR YOUTH ADVOCACY PROGRAM AND BEGAN WORKING WITH HUNTER CLAWSON. THE TWO BUILT A STRONG RAPPORT, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADREION TO SAFELY EXPRESS HIS EMOTIONS. HUNTER AND HIS TEAM ASSISTED IN GETTING HIM BACK INTO A STABLE LIVING ENVIRONMENT, AND CONSISTENTLY ENCOURAGED ADREION TO APPLY HIMSELF AT SCHOOL. HE ENDED THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR MAKING STRAIGHT AS AND IS ON-TRACK TO GRADUATE IN 2024. AFTER GRADUATION, HE WANTS TO PURSUE A CAREER THAT REVOLVES AROUND ADVOCACY AND MAKING HIS COMMUNITY A SAFER PLACE FOR ALL. ADREION NOW SEES HOW BRIGHT HIS FUTURE CAN BE, WITH THE HELP OF THE YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU.