YMCA of Greater San Antonio kicked off its 2022 One Y Annual Giving Campaign on March 3. The theme for the campaign is “Find Your Passion. Find Your Y,” and aims to share testimonials from people who the YMCA has impacted.
Shannon Gowen, Senior Director of Mission Advancement and Communications, said the campaign is a collective effort to raise funds for the organization as a whole.
“There are so many stories out there, and this event serves as a way for people to share their own experiences as well as allow us to continue to give back to the community,” Gowen said.
“I’m a veteran who dealt with a brain injury and severe PTSD. I know I would not be here today without the support of the YMCA. That’s why I decided to be a part of this campaign. It truly changes lives,” J.B., a YMCA community member.
The organization has grown roots in the San Antonio community for 146 years, and this fundraiser helps make YMCA’s programs accessible for community members. The funds raised from this event go toward scholarships for gym memberships, childcare services and more.
“We have an Open Doors Scholarship program available so we can give people access to gym memberships and programming opportunities at low to no cost,” Gowen said. “We want families to get active again—during the pandemic, people couldn’t go to the gym and connect with other people and it impacted their mental health.”
The organization also invested in a new resource, YMCA360, a virtual streaming platform that can be accessed on Roku and Apple.
“Using this platform, they can get basketball training, cooking classes, yoga—so if at any point they are not comfortable going into the facility, members can still access it wherever they are,” Gowen said.
Gowen said there had been a significant uptick in gym membership since last summer because people were ready to get back to connecting with their communities.
At the Campaign Kick-Off event hosted on March 3, over 100 community members gathered to share stories and celebrate the annual fundraising campaign.
“As a person with special needs, when someone tells you they can help you, you try not to get too excited because not everyone can help you. At the Y, I learned how to swim at the age of 14 within 30 minutes. It was a life-changing experience. I became a member, and the Y became my family. Years later, the Y reached out and asked if I would be interested in becoming a wellness coach for other individuals with special needs. Through the Y, I was able to get a job, and my confidence grew. I attended college, and now I own my first home. The Y taught me that anything is possible,” said Xavier, a YMCA community member.
YMCA of Greater San Antonio also offers childcare scholarships for families in need of those services.
“We understand people need childcare so they can maintain employment and finish their education, so we offer this option to support families in need of this service. Over 79% of the families surveyed said this wouldn’t be possible without the Y early learning and afterschool programs,” Gowen said.
In addition to the annual fundraising campaign, the YMCA of Greater San Antonio will launch a new, recurring giving opportunity on March 21: Y Impact Partners. Gowen said people can join this collaborative effort if they are interested in supporting the YMCA and make a monthly donation to support the YMCA of Greater San Antonio’s community outreach initiatives. For more information on how to donate to YMCA of Greater San Antonio, see the online donation page.
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