Many of the Y stories below are made possible through community support. When you give to the Y, 100% of your gift goes to programs and financial assistance for children, families, and individuals in need. Together, we can close the achievement gap, promote healthy lifestyles, and provide life-changing experiences to families. Help transform lives by Donating today.
Miles Evans
Miles Evans says the YMCA Black Achievers program changed his life. “To be quite honest, it did not sound very appealing to wake up every Saturday morning when I could have been sleeping in, but I took my chances and attended with my older brother, Malcolm. That was one of the best decisions I have ever made...
Nicole Kennedy
Social Anxiety created problems for Nicole as she moved throughout school and it became more and more difficult for her to find her voice. In the sixth grade, Nicole joined the Youth In Government program. Today, she acknowledges that her involvement in Youth In Government was one of the best decisions she made in life...
Tracey Walls
When Tracey Walls first joined the Western Family YMCA, she was not in a good place. Several of Tracey’s family members were dealing with serious health issues, the family business was taking a financial hit, her son's college tuition started to add up and Tracey’s father unexpectedly passed away...
Travis Nock
Travis who has limited mobility in his legs started looking for a place where he could exercise. Specifically, he wanted to be able to practice basketball in a gym and use a hand-cycle for cardio workouts. He called numerous places in Sussex County, but he was unable to find what he needed until he visited the Sussex Family YMCA...
Keri Edwards
Keri has been a long time member of the YMCA of Delaware, participating in programs such as soccer, day camp and Youth in Government, a mock-legislative program that helps teens develop confidence, practice leadership and learn civic responsibility...
Rena Baldwin-Baxter
A little over a year ago, Rena Baldwin-Baxter’s husband, Kaheem, suffered from serious medical conditions and was unable to return to work. Then, four months after her husband was declared disabled, Rena lost her job to company-wide restructuring ...
Charesse Benjamin
Charesse Benjamin is a single parent who was at the end of her rope. She had split with her daughter’s father and moved from New Castle to Wilmington. Her daughter Cyani had begun to act out. “It was hard on Cyani with all those changes. She was lost and I didn’t know how to help her,” ...
Kourtney and Kymani
“We were struggling financially from all the medical bills and the loss of my job. I didn’t want Kymani to suffer. Finding a way to send her to camp was my problem. She has had enough to deal with,” ...
Audrey Smith-Bey
When Audrey Smith-Bey found out she had uterine cancer in 2016 she was shaken by the diagnosis. A few months after her surgery, she found the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA. This free 12-week exercise program creates a welcoming community in which cancer survivors can improve their quality of life ...
Tomorrow Monroe
After the loss of her oldest child and a cancer diagnosis, Tomorrow was in search of some much-needed stability and normalcy for her and her two children. “I was struggling. I couldn’t work. I had depression, anxiety, and PTSD. But I knew I had to keep moving.”
Gary and Kathy Chaffee
Upon retiring, Kathy and Gary Chaffee moved to Central Delaware. Not long after their move, both had a knee replacement and were working hard to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. They knew they needed to find a place that would help them continue their weight loss journey ...
Ayanah Jones
Ayanah “AJ” Jones exudes the kind of welcoming energy you aim for in someone who works the front desk at your organization. Her confidence is such a natural part of her presentation that most would be surprised to know that AJ was struggling just a year ago. “I had issues with anxiety,” she says. “And I didn’t know how to break out of that...