Champions of Change: Celebrating Y Donors and Volunteers
On May 1, we hosted our inaugural Y Champions Celebration, an evening dedicated to honoring our donors and volunteers whose steadfast support has been the driving force behind the Y's mission to open doors for all New Yorkers.
At the heart of the event were the Y's Volunteers of the Year, whose dedication and passion inspired us all. Their selfless contributions have truly made a difference in the lives of countless individuals at our branches, embodying the spirit of service that lies at the core of our organization.
Throughout the evening, we had the privilege of highlighting participants from our Faces of Impact series – individuals whose lives have been transformed by the Y’s community programs and services that your generosity supports. We were moved to hear from Faces of Impact participant Debora Barbaria from the YMCA Counseling Service, who shared her journey to sobriety from substance misuse through our recovery program. Testimonies like Debora’s serve as powerful reminders of the importance and urgency in taking care of our communities. It is through your support that we can continue to strengthen and empower New Yorkers across the five boroughs.
We invite you to look at photos from the night. To view the gallery, simply click on "All Documents" in the top right corner and switch it to "Gallery" for a closer look at the memories we shared together.
Team Y Champions Pedals with Purpose
Our Team Y Champions charity riders had a blast at this year’s TD Five Boro Bike Tour on Sunday, May 5. Together, we raised $13,000 to support essential programs like Y Summer Day Camp—because every kid deserves to experience the magic of summer camp, no matter their family’s financial circumstances. Nearly 1 in 3 of our Y Summer Day Camp families will require financial assistance this summer, and Team Y Champions supporters help make that relief possible for our communities.
As riders made the turn onto W 135 St at mile 9, our Harlem Y Cheer Zone brought the excitement, energy, and encouragement riders needed, with impending rain and a 31-mile journey ahead. There was no raining on the Harlem Y Cheer Zone parade.
Our team of 9 hailed from the Prospect Park/Park Slope Armory Y, Bedford-Stuyvesant Y, Castle Hill Y, Broadway Y, West Side Y, and the Association Office (AO). A special thanks to our co-captains, Chris Geraci, who sits on our Development Committee, and Mike Rivadeneyra, Vice President of Government Relations at the AO.
We are so grateful to our riders and community of donors who put the meaning behind the miles.
Y Day of Giving: Thank You!
Every year we celebrate our birthday to commemorate our years in service to New Yorkers, but more than that, we come together to celebrate our collective impact as a community.
This Y Day of Giving (5/22), we are excited to share that we reached 1,000 donors, unlocking a $50,000 gift! We are so grateful to each and every one of our donors who participated, no matter the amount.
Together, we raised over $100,000, funds that will support critical community programs and services, and we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for your support and for being a part of our Y community.
A Lifetime of Impact: The New York Life Foundation and Y Youth
For over 30 years, the New York Life Foundation has been an invaluable partner in advancing the mission of the YMCA of Greater New York. Our relationship dates back to 1988, when New York Life granted its first gift of support to our annual gala. In the late ‘90s, New York Life was an early supporter of our afterschool and summer camp programs and in the early 2000s, they provided funding for computer centers as part of our afterschool program. Their involvement has evolved significantly since then, becoming a cornerstone funder of crucial youth initiatives, such as Y Afterschool and most recently, Y Scholars, a program that provides academic assistance, leadership training, and civic engagement opportunities to middle schoolers.
The impact of New York Life Foundation's philanthropy is tremendous for our Y Scholars. More than 70% of the youth we serve are economically disadvantaged and over 60% of our program participants identify as BIPOC. As champions of diversity, equity, and inclusion, New York Life’s support enables us to serve thousands of middle school students, fostering academic and social-emotional success in New York City public schools.
Their generous $900,000 multi-year grant enables us to elevate the futures of Y Scholars. With their support, we can improve outcomes for our Y Scholars and enhance our sites through expanded social emotional learning (SEL) support and resources, including piloting the Weikart PQA Tool (Program Quality Assessment), to better monitor, assess, and refine the SEL work at all 11 Y Scholars programming sites.
The YMCA of Greater New York extends heartfelt gratitude to New York Life for their partnership in creating lifelong impact for NYC youth. We look forward to honoring New York Life with the 2024 Dodge Award at our annual Heroes of New York Gala on June 13 for their exemplary work in service to New Yorkers.