SEPTEMBER 2025In this issue:The Stories We Share: The Y Celebrates Welcoming WeekThe Making of a Leader: Meet OliviaMeet Our Marathoners!Don't Miss These Events The Stories We Share: The Y Celebrates Welcoming Week “Wow, you’ve got a big extended family there.” “I do. I do. It’s very global. My WhatsApp is very busy,” said Rachael Rinaldo, our Senior Director of New Americans Initiative & Global Partnerships. After 17 years with the Y, her phone is filled with messages from families she has supported, children she’s watched grow up, and community members who remain connected with her years later. Every message is part of a larger story of welcome, connection, and resilience fostered at the Y.The YMCA of Greater New York goes back nearly 175 years, beginning with newcomers who arrived at Ellis Island in search of safety and opportunity. Since its founding, the Y has been a foundation where these stories take root—stories of people starting over, building community, and finding opportunity. That same legacy continues today, and this fall during Welcoming Week (September 12–21), our Y branches celebrate this year’s theme Stories We Share. We invite you to join the many festivities and gain a deeper understanding of your impact in the story below.As Rachael explains, “We don’t just focus on the language component. We focus on the whole person or the whole family.” That holistic approach has shaped how the Y is responding to the recent challenges facing immigrant New Yorkers. From creating parenting plans and providing multilingual mental health care to strengthening legal partnerships and ensuring NAI staff—many of whom are immigrants themselves—feel just as safe and supported, the Y is there with dignity and care at every step.The results of this work are transformative. In just six months, 88 people earned industry-recognized certifications. “When you think about all the work that it takes to get those certifications, that's huge," Rachael said. In the last year, the Y has supported seven immigrants as they’ve become U.S. citizens and hundreds more who have learned English, developed valuable workplace skills, and secured jobs.The numbers matter, but it’s the stories that stay with Rachael. She remembers Sara, a Liberian refugee and single mother she supported at our former NAI site on Staten Island, who had survived the trauma of war and carried its scars. Years later, Rachael picked up her phone to hear the voice of a 10-year-old asking, “Is this Auntie Rachael?” It was Sara’s daughter—the same baby who once crawled across her office floor—now reaching out on her own. It’s in moments like this that the impact of your support is felt most deeply—in lasting connections that stretch across years and generations. As Rachael says, “There is hope for everyone.” See our Welcoming Week Events. The Making of a Leader: Meet Olivia If you saw Olivia today—whether it’s sitting in the City Hall Council Chamber, speaking at our Golf & Gala event, or accepting an award for Volunteer of the Year—you wouldn’t have guessed that she was once a shy kid, afraid of public speaking. That’s because Olivia, now a senior, has grown tremendously through her involvement in our Teens Take the City (TTC) program at Flushing Beacon 184. Since 8th grade, Olivia has been with the Y—meeting council members, leading service projects, and serving as TTC’s Queensborough President the last two years.Like many of her peers, she values the opportunity to learn about what’s happening across the boroughs and how other young people view the issues facing their communities. “[The City Hall event] really gets me out of my own bubble and thinking in ways I wouldn’t myself. I didn’t know that NYCHA housing has such little funding and how smoke shops are being built near schools until I heard about it at City Hall.” Olivia also went on a trip to Albany with TTC where she met Grace Meng, New York State’s first and only Asian American Member of Congress. Seeing that representation was powerful for her, and she felt truly heard when sharing her ideas with Meng’s staff. “You never know the people you’re going to meet when you walk in the Y, and they end up being the people who open so many doors for you moving forward.” TTC not only gets our teens out of the city but also deepens their impact within their communities—whether doing park clean ups, delivering meals on wheels, or running a “genius bar” at a retirement home. All these opportunities are valuable to put on a resume, but there’s more to Olivia’s experience with the Y. She’s found a mentor she can confide in during difficult times—a safe space that can’t be measured yet makes all the difference.Looking ahead, Olivia hopes to join the medical field and wants to keep coming back to the Y as an alumna to mentor the next generation of TTC advocates. We are so proud of Olivia and are thrilled to continue supporting her journey! Meet our Marathoners!Our 20 Team Y Champions are training for one of New York City's greatest events: the TCS NYC Marathon. From first-timers to new mothers to milestone birthdays, they all share one goal: to make every mile meaningful. Together, they’re running not just for the finish line, but for a shared belief in the Y’s mission.SUPPORT THEM AS THEY SUPPORT US “The Y helped my family build the foundation for a better future in NYC. I run to help do the same for other families as they begin a new chapter of their lives!” SUPPORT JANINE!Learn more about the New Americans Initiative. “I’m running in honor of my Abuela Pita, who worked for San Juan Y for years. Her love for community and this cause transcends generations.” SUPPORT FABIANA!Learn more about legacy giving. “As the aunt of 9 nieces and nephews, I know just how impactful Y educators and counselors are.”SUPPORT OLIVIA!Learn about our youth impact. “To celebrate turning 50, I’m giving back and challenging myself by running the marathon.”SUPPORT JENNIFER!Learn more about starting your own fundraiser. UPCOMING EVENTSNATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY | September 16 Join the nationwide celebration of our democracy by registering to vote and make your voice heard! Register or update/check registration here! WELCOMING WEEK | September 12-21 | EVENTS BELOW!NAI FINANCIAL LEARNING DAY | FLATBUSH Y | September 18Ready to take control of your finances? This engaging workshop from 11am-1pm, led by experts, will help you build a stronger financial future. Plus, get free resources and awesome giveaways! ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DAY | CHINATOWN Y | September 18It is often hard to get a job without a good resume. We have resources that can help! Come learn from 11am-1pm about free job and training opportunities across NYC! WELLNESS & FAMILY KICKBALL | CASTLE HILL Y | September 20Join us this Saturday from 12-1pm for essential health and wellness tips to keep our community safe and strong this fall and winter! Then, get ready to kick up some fun with a game of Family Kickball! FLATBUSH FROLIC | CORTELYOU RD | September 21Stop by our booth at this vibrant street fair all along Cortelyou Road between Ocean Ave and Coney Island Ave, from 11am-6pm. Enjoy a fantastic collection of local and global food, a lively wine and beer garden, and an open-air market filled with amazing artists, crafters, and local businesses. LEADERSHIP CALL WITH CEO SHARON GREENBERGER | September 25, 12PMJoin us for an exclusive update and see the impact across the neighborhood and beyond. RSVP today! DAF DAY | October 9Did you know? Giving through your Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) may provide you with immediate tax benefits while maximizing your impact? Simply recommend the YMCA of Greater New York (Tax ID# 13-1624228) as an organization to support through your financial or legal advisor. Mailing: 5 West 63rd St, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10023 Contact: Donor Relations at donorrelations@ymcanyc.org WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP LUNCHEON | October 16, 12PMJoin us for an inspiring afternoon bringing together NYC’s top women leaders in business & philanthropy for our 4th Annual Women’s Leadership Luncheon, featuring acclaimed chef & restaurateur Kristen Kish and our President & CEO, Sharon Greenberger. Learn more and RSVP here.