The Current - Donor Newsletter

SEPTEMBER 2026

Today is National Voter Registration Day, and we're celebrating the many ways the Y community advocates for positive change. Through nonpartisan efforts, the Y builds engaged communities beyond voter turnout—by equipping people to understand local issues and ensure their voices are represented to decisionmakers.

Through Teens Take the City, a free civic engagement program, teens learn how to use their voice and engage in the democratic process. Every year, students from all five boroughs come together at Borough and City Halls to vote on their proposed policies in the legislative chamber.

The program's Brooklyn Borough President, Leilia White, can attest to learning how to use her voice. So, how will you use yours today?

A special thanks to The Keith Haring Foundation, Con Edison, and The Countess Moira Charitable Foundation for their support of Teens Take the City.

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West Side Y Donor Honors Late Wife Through College Access

A hard-working single mother just sent her baby off to his first semester in college. Josiah almost didn't go because he almost couldn't. His mom, juggling four jobs, struggled to keep up with the cost of college—let alone the application fees.  

Richard Vogt didn't know any of this about Josiah when he established his scholarship fund. What he did know was that he has the means to help young people at the Y take their next step. For Richard, that generosity also carries a deeply personal meaning: it’s a way to honor his late wife while opening doors for young people like Josiah.

Watch what happens when these two worlds collide.

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On October 8, What Will Your DAF Do?

DAF Day is a national day of giving through donor-advised funds. A DAF is a charitable savings account (like a 401(k) for giving). It’s already a powerful, tax-deductible tool that helps donors to accelerate their giving, but it has even greater potential when we all DAF together. For the Y, that means keeping programs accessible to the 400,000 New Yorkers who depend on them—for childcare, education, mind-body wellness, and so much more.  

Consider recommending a grant to the YMCA of Greater New York (Tax ID# 13-1624228) through your DAF advisor and designate your gift to the Y branch of your choice. Keep an eye out in your inbox for more information on how you can get in on DAF Day on October 8!

Already made a gift through you DAF? Thank you for putting your generosity to work for New Yorkers. 

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