DECEMBER 2024In this issue:Generosity in Action: Morgan Stanley's Neighborhood Good CampaignWhere Inspiration Meets ImpactThank YOU for Giving Tuesday!Amazon Web Services Grant Drives Innovation in Water Safety at the Y Generosity in Action: Morgan Stanley's Neighborhood Good Campaign This holiday season, the YMCA of Greater New York was honored to be featured on December 4 as part of Morgan Stanley’s inaugural Neighborhood Good campaign, an initiative that encourages employees to give back to their communities during the holiday season. For three festive days, Morgan Stanley transformed their lobby into a Winter Wonderland hub of generosity, featuring different nonprofits each day.The day was filled with heartwarming highlights, including a pop-up shop from the American Museum of Natural History, where employees could shop for unique items and purchase an extra gift for a Y child in need.Morgan Stanley generously purchased LEGO sets, board games, art supply kits, and winter essentials, which were thoughtfully hand-wrapped by employee volunteers throughout the day. Thanks to the generosity of Morgan Stanley, over 700 holiday gifts were donated that day for children served by the Y who might otherwise go without.We are deeply grateful to Morgan Stanley for shining a spotlight on the Y and amplifying our mission of empowering New Yorkers to lead healthier, more connected lives. The Neighborhood Good campaign is a testament to the power of partnerships and the incredible impact we can achieve together. Where Inspiration Meets Impact On November 13, the historic 48 Wall Street came alive with excitement as we hosted the Hispanic Achievers Awards and Reception. The evening highlighted the incredible impact we’re making together—empowering Hispanic youth, supporting families, and strengthening communities. We had the honor of recognizing the accomplishments of Carolina Jannicelli, Mayra Linares-Garcia, Dr. Denise Nuñez, and José M. Villafañe—true visionaries who embody dedication and community leadership.Congratulations to our Corporate Achievers: Catalina Monroy, Iliana Menesick, Sherlyn Santana, Gil Valdes, and Nelson Del Valle, your contributions inspire us all.A heartwarming moment was celebrating our Hispanic Achievers Scholarship Recipients, Joanne Henry (SUNY Binghamton) and Janessa Serra (SUNY Morrisville), two first-generation college students from the Y Rowe Scholars program, which has expanded to support students in their first year of college through AlumnY.Your generosity fuels these successes—providing scholarships, childcare, and vital community support. We will continue to celebrate and serve the Hispanic community year-round, and we’ll do it thanks to you. Thank YOU for Giving Tuesday!Because of your incredible generosity, we raised over $360,000 to support the thousands of New Yorkers who rely on the Y’s free services and community programs. Your support means more than just numbers—it means more families fed, more neighbors housed, more students on the path to graduation, and so much more. Thank you for making this all possible! We look forward to furthering our collective impact in the new year. Amazon Web Services Grant Drives Innovation in Water Safety at the Y The YMCA of Greater New York is thrilled to share that we’ve been selected as a winner of the 2024 Amazon Web Services (AWS) IMAGINE Grant. The grant will support the Y’s efforts to help New Yorkers learn life-saving swimming skills more efficiently, enhancing water safety. The Y was named a winner in the Go Further, Faster category which recognizes highly innovative projects using advanced cloud services. We are grateful to receive $150,000 in funding, $100,000 in AWS Promotional Credits, and engagement with AWS technical specialists.Thanks to AWS’s generous support, the Y will build and launch the YMCA Skill Tracker, a web-based platform designed to digitize and enhance the way we track swim skills and attendance for over 40,000 swim lessons each year. By leveraging AWS cloud technology, the YMCA Skill Tracker will help our instructors monitor progress in real time, ensuring all participants develop life-saving water safety skills more efficiently. This effort supports our commitment to making swimming and water safety accessible to all New Yorkers, especially those in underserved communities.“Universal swimming access is a matter of equity, public health, and safety. Digitizing the process of skill tracking will allow the Y to ensure that all swim participants are developing life-saving swim safety skills, reducing the risk of drowning and increasing their confidence and comfort in the water.”- Sharon Greenberger, President & CEO of the YMCA of Greater New York.Since the launch of the IMAGINE Grant program in 2018, AWS has awarded over $14M in unrestricted funds, AWS Promotional Credits, and expert technical guidance to over 130 nonprofit organizations in support of their technology-driven goals. This partnership will enhance our ability to serve New Yorkers and increase water safety for years to come. Thank you, AWS, for helping us create safer, healthier communities.For more information on the AWS IMAGINE Grant, visit their website.