LOOKING BACK MOVING FORWARD YMCA OF AUSTIN 2015 Community Impact Report Dear Friends, After nearly a decade of rapid growth, in 2015 the YMCA of Austin took stock of the distance we’d traveled in order to forge a thoughtful path forward. As a result, we regrouped to enhance our capacity and improve the quality of our services, even as we plotted our next moves. We undertook expansions at our Northwest Family Y and We also reinvested in people, not only by providing more Hays Communities Y (yes, another one!). We laid groundwork than $2.5 million in financial assistance to more than for expansion at the Springs Y and dove headlong into a 40,000 neighbors in need, but also by launching new staff capital campaign to bring YMCA Camp Cypress to reality training initiatives and signing on as a YMCA Global Center of along the banks of Onion Creek. Excellence to promote diversity and inclusion. We also turned our focus inward to dissect and improve We capped the year by completing a new five-year Strategic virtually every key program, from swim lessons to youth Plan. This document is the result of nearly nine months of work sports to health & wellness classes. We assumed leadership conducted by dozens of YMCA staff and volunteers, including of YMCA Texas Youth & Government, and watched thousands extensive research into the most challenging issues facing of high school students blossom into future leaders through our community. this great civic engagement program. And through the Texas State Alliance of YMCAs, we formed the YMCA Legislative Caucus Taken together, our achievements in 2015 have helped create at the Texas Capitol, only the second of its kind in the U.S. a road map for a brighter future, not only for our YMCA, but for all of Metropolitan Austin. James Finck Julie Kreager President & CEO Chair, Metropolitan Board of Directors YMCA of Austin YMCA of Austin If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end To bring about meaningful change in individuals and communities, we must be focused and accountable. At the Y, we measure the success of our cause by how well we engage up someplace else. communities in our three areas of focus. -Yogi Berra YOUTH DEVELOPMENT · HEALTHY LIVING · SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN HIGHLIGHTS For more than 60 years, the YMCA of Austin has delivered transformative 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 responses to urgent social challenges. At every step, we have taken measure Bastrop YMCA begins delivering Early Learning Readiness YMCA of Austin celebrates Healthy Eating & Physical Activity Northwest YMCA renovation begins of the community’s needs and sought to programs to the community programming rolls out 60th Anniversary (HEPA) standards adopted for all act in a focused, responsible way. As we Afterschool programs SwimATX launches in partnership with look back on our 2011-2015 strategic TownLake YMCA renovation begins TownLake YMCA completes YMCA Diabetes Prevention the City of Austin and Austin Independent plan, “Building a Brighter Future,” we $5.5 million renovation Program Launches YMCA of the USA launches School District can see a deliberate pattern combining Southwest Family YMCA its first-ever nationwide expansion of our physical footprint with renovation completed City of Austin/ North Austin YMCA Austin YMCA goes mobile with fundraising campaign Mind Exercise Nutrition Do It (MEND) introduction of cutting-edge programs. Community Recreation Center its first-ever app childhood obesity intervention program City of Austin/ North Austin YMCA construction is completed and the Young Adult membership goes national United by a sense of togetherness and Community Recreation Center branch opens to the public category adopted social responsibility, we are harnessing breaks ground Camp Cypress Capital Campaign begins the collective power of the Y Movement Hays Communities YMCA to reach more people and do more good. renovation begins Northwest YMCA renovation completed And our work is never done… YMCA of Austin assumes leadership of Texas Youth & Government program Texas YMCA Legislative Caucus established 71 78730 78757 78733 78746 Approximately the $2.5 MILLION 40,000 population of the in financial assistance was distributed to deserving neighbors in Travis, Hays and of our neighbors benefited from financial assistance 78704 ZIP code* provided by the YMCA of Austin, in 2015. ( ) Bastrop Counties in 2015, as part of the YMCA of Austin’s promise to never turn *Estimated to be 41,999 according to a 2013 study anyone in need away, regardless of their economic circumstance. 78746 1 78702 360 78735 78704 78742 290 183 78741 78749 78745 71 Double the number of 4,159 bats living under the individual donors contributed to provide scholarships for their neighbors in need to have Congress Avenue Bridge* access to YMCA programs/membership, in 2015. ( 10 km ) Austinites interacts with More than a capacity 1 : 225*Estimated 585 to range between 750,000 and 1.5 Million the YMCA of Austin crowd at Austin Music Hall Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors on an annual basis. ( ) For a full list of 2015 financial contributors visit ymcaofaustin.org/annual-reports 1 IN 9 My girls are healthy and happy YOUTH DEVELOPMENT because the spirit of the YMCA Nurturing the potential of every child and teen runs through our family. 2015 160 2,763 3,522 children at risk and their youth learned valuable social children built self-confidence, adult caregivers prepared for and academic skills in a fun, safe independence and creativity at kindergarten success in our Early and secure environment at the summer and holiday day camps. Learning Readiness Program. YMCA’s Afterschool program. I moved to Austin and joined the YMCA about six years ago. Back then, it was just me and my oldest daughter hanging out at the TownLake Y! I took classes while she did sports and the kids’ classes. We were both making friends and falling in love with the TownLake branch and the Mission of YMCA as an organization. Fast forward to remarrying and a new baby. We added everyone to the membership, including my mom, who immediately fell in with the active senior crew. My little girl has literally grown up in the Y! She’s three and is the unofficial mascot of TownLake. My oldest now works as a youth sports official and is training to be a lifeguard. Needless to say, we have 2011- 2015 2011- 2015 2011- 2015 grown as a family through our activities at the Y. We donate, volunteer and spread 583 12,963 14,358 the Mission all of the time. We cannot imagine not having the YMCA as a part of who 2011 2011 2011 we are and what we do on a daily basis. I was even able to change careers and stay at home to care for my family because of my new position at the East Communities ELR yet to launch 2,645 2,620 YMCA. Every day I get to help people get healthy and model a service-oriented life for my family. My girls are healthy and happy because the spirit of the YMCA runs through our family. For that reason, I’ll always be here and will always be grateful! Early Learning Readiness (ELR) Afterschool Program Participants Day Campers -Leslie Jordan Garcia Program Participants HEALTHY LIVING Improving our community’s health and well-being You all are that door– 2015 donors, volunteers, staff and members. Each of 9,978 2,122 you are that door for active youth learned teamwork, practiced kids gained water safety skills, helping to reduce me. So thank you for healthy habits and prevented future chronic the incidence of accidental drownings through disease by participating in team sports. YMCA Project SAFE. changing my life. 60,000 213 people strengthened themselves and people participated in various chronic disease their community through membership prevention programs through the Y. at the YMCA. Tuesday through Saturday, occasionally Mondays I set up for spin class by the window because it is right next to the door. That door is the door I walked through the day I rejoined. That door changed my life. It gives me the 2011- 2015 2011- 2015 2011- 2015 2011- 2015 strength to speak about personal topics that I couldn’t, wouldn’t discuss in the past. It gives 41,239 7,768 263,480 1,656 me the strength to accept being cared about, 2011 2011 2011 2011 to accept friendships. It allows me to live a life 5,993 1,221 43,997 372 worth living. It allows me to continue to heal. -Melissa Shaloame Youth Sports Project SAFE YMCA Chronic Disease Participants Program Participants Membership Prevention Program Participants SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Giving back and providing support to our neighbors 2015 $569,762 $2.5 million I first started at the YMCA as a housekeeper and in grants promoted healthy living, provided in scholarships distributed to more than now, in my third year, I work in ChildWatch. I initially free nutritious meals and helped close the 40,000 deserving neighbors enabled them wanted to work at the Y because I love having fun achievement gap. to improve their lives through Y services. and working with kids. I also hope that my team and I help parents have a stress-free experience and allow them to have some personal time to work out $2.5 million $12.4 million and participate in classes with friends. in facility investments helped to create invested in salaries and benefits for The Y has made a positive impact in my life because they actively provide opportunities to build a healthy long-term community hubs in Travis, 2,016 YMCA professionals helped spirit, mind and body for all.