Capital Region YMCA
| We Build Strong Kids, Strong Families, and Strong Communities |
About Us
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Capital Region YMCA
Our aim is to provide every individual in our community with opportunities for personal
growth, community involvement, and leadership. By making connections,
collaborating, and mirroring our region’s diversity, we believe we can become the
network that binds our many neighborhoods into one city, one country, and one world.
Diversity and Inclusion Vision Statement
The Capital Region YMCA appreciates and supports the dignity and worth of all
members of our community. We will nurture an environment that reflects, respect and
celebrates our differences, and embraces the richness of our diversity.
The YMCA
"The YMCA, the oldest and largest social institution in the United States, has touched
the lives of virtually all Americans. It gave the country basketball and volleyball, its best
known popular contributions. But it also pioneered camping, public libraries, night
schools and teaching English as a second language. The Y has provided war relief
since the Civil War, and served immigrants and refugees from countries around the
world. It has fostered understanding and cooperation within Christianity and among
the world's major faiths. It has summoned the strengths of association to make
communities stronger. The YMCA has probably touched more lives in America than
any other volunteer or social institution."
Andrea Hinding, Professor, University of Minnesota
What Does YMCA Stand For?
In the beginning, back in 1844, young men drawn to London for jobs in factories lived
in squalid and unsafe conditions. Street life offered only taverns and brothels. A 23-
year-old clerk named George Williams thought to improve the lives of young workers
by offering a place for prayer, bible study, mutual support and group residence. The
now famous initials stood for:
Young Men’s Christian Association
The YMCA idea, which began among evangelicals, was unusual because it crossed
the rigid lines that separated all the different churches and social classes in England
in those days. This openness was a trait that would lead eventually to including in
YMCAs all men, women and children, regardless of race, religion financial
circumstances or nationality.
So, we’re not just for the Young, not just for Men, and not just for Christians any more.
But we’re still an Association – a community within a community – working to meet
social, physical and spiritual needs for the greater good of all.
Because we welcome everyone, because we share what we have by offering financial
assistance to those who cannot otherwise afford our programs and memberships,
because we promote the core values of Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility,
and because we strive to engage and improve the spirit, mind and body, we state as
our Mission:
To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit,
mind, and body for all.
Our aim is to provide every individual in our community with opportunities for personal
growth, community involvement, and leadership. By making connections,
collaborating, and mirroring our region’s diversity, we believe we can become the
network that binds our many neighborhoods into one city, one country, and one world.
Diversity and Inclusion Vision Statement
The Capital Region YMCA appreciates and supports the dignity and worth of all
members of our community. We will nurture an environment that reflects, respect and
celebrates our differences, and embraces the richness of our diversity.
The YMCA
"The YMCA, the oldest and largest social institution in the United States, has touched
the lives of virtually all Americans. It gave the country basketball and volleyball, its best
known popular contributions. But it also pioneered camping, public libraries, night
schools and teaching English as a second language. The Y has provided war relief
since the Civil War, and served immigrants and refugees from countries around the
world. It has fostered understanding and cooperation within Christianity and among
the world's major faiths. It has summoned the strengths of association to make
communities stronger. The YMCA has probably touched more lives in America than
any other volunteer or social institution."
Andrea Hinding, Professor, University of Minnesota
What Does YMCA Stand For?
In the beginning, back in 1844, young men drawn to London for jobs in factories lived
in squalid and unsafe conditions. Street life offered only taverns and brothels. A 23-
year-old clerk named George Williams thought to improve the lives of young workers
by offering a place for prayer, bible study, mutual support and group residence. The
now famous initials stood for:
Young Men’s Christian Association
The YMCA idea, which began among evangelicals, was unusual because it crossed
the rigid lines that separated all the different churches and social classes in England
in those days. This openness was a trait that would lead eventually to including in
YMCAs all men, women and children, regardless of race, religion financial
circumstances or nationality.
So, we’re not just for the Young, not just for Men, and not just for Christians any more.
But we’re still an Association – a community within a community – working to meet
social, physical and spiritual needs for the greater good of all.
Because we welcome everyone, because we share what we have by offering financial
assistance to those who cannot otherwise afford our programs and memberships,
because we promote the core values of Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility,
and because we strive to engage and improve the spirit, mind and body, we state as
our Mission:
To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit,
mind, and body for all.
Would You Like to Know More?
For more information about the history of the YMCA and some facts that you may
find interesting, click on the logo below.
| Action is Eloquence |
We strive to serve all in our community by embedding our four core
values in all our programs and in all that we do to serve:
values in all our programs and in all that we do to serve:
- Respect
- Reponsibility
- Caring
- Honesty