YMCA of the USA

The nation's more than 2,400 YMCAs comprise the largest not-for-profit community service organization in the United States, delivering programs that provide health, social, and spiritual benefits to 17.9 million men, women and children in 10,000 communities. Ys serve people of all faiths, races, abilities, ages and incomes. No one is turned away for inability to pay. The power of the YMCA is in the people it brings together.

To meet the specific needs of their local communities, no two YMCAs offer exactly the programs and services. A YMCA in your community may offer child care or teen leadership clubs. Another Y may offer swimming lessons or drawing classes. Each Y designs its programs to meet the needs and interests of its community. Each operates independently as well.

Today, YMCAs circle the globe. In more than 120 countries, YMCA staffs and volunteers serve more than 30 million people. About 230 Ys in this country maintain relationships with Ys in other lands. The YMCA truly does build strong kids, strong families and strong communities -- worldwide.

• YMCAs run programs of all types, from arts to yoga. Some of the oldest and largest are child care, swimming and camping.
• Camps have provided summer YMCA programming for more than a century. The first reference is to a Y youth director taking a group of boys to Lake Champlain for a summer encampment in the 1860s. Other YMCAs began offering camping experiences for youth as well. By 1882, national records included camping programs under outings and excursions.
• Swimming and aquatics have also long been associated with the YMCA. Tens of millions of people across the country learned how to swim at the YMCA.
• The term "bodybuilding" was first used in 1881 by Robert Roberts, a member of the staff at the Boston YMCA. He also developed the exercise classes that led to today's fitness workouts.
• Group child care was not started at a YMCA, but Ys quickly moved to meet the needs in a changing society. Today YMCAs are the largest not-for-profit provider of child care, and larger than any for-profit chain in the country.
• In the 1990s, about half a million children received care at a YMCA each year. In 1996, child care became the movement's second largest source of revenue, after membership dues.

For more information, or to contact YMCA of the USA, see the website at: www.ymca.net