YMCA Receives Major Donation from MacKenzie Scott

Donations to 43 local YMCAs and YMCA of the USA will help ensure vital work in response to COVID-19 continues at Ys across the country

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YMCA of the USA

Dec 15, 2020, 16:36 ET

CHICAGO, Dec. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) today announced significant financial donations have been made by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to local YMCAs around the country and to Y-USA, all in support of the organization's work to strengthen communities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms. Scott announced the gifts to the Y, and more than 300 other organizations, today in an authored post on Medium.

"We are incredibly grateful to MacKenzie Scott for her generous gifts made to 43 YMCA associations and YMCA of the USA," said Kevin Washington, president and CEO, YMCA of the USA. "Ms. Scott's gifts are a testament to the trust Ys have earned by meeting pressing social needs in the communities the Y serves across the country. These unrestricted funds are especially important to the work of Ys to support communities during the COVID-19 pandemic."

Like many nonprofits, Ys large and small across the country are facing financial hardships in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. With all facilities closed for the greater part of two to three months last spring, limited operation of summer camps, hesitation by members to return to wellness facilities, and mandated shutdowns as COVID numbers rise again, the Y has seen billions in lost revenue since March and has been faced with devastating decisions regarding furloughs, layoffs and even permanent facility closures.

Right now, Ys are working to meet the needs of their communities by providing child care to first responders and essential workers, feeding children and families, housing at-risk populations, visiting seniors facing social isolation and supporting children with virtual learning, among many other traditional and emergency services.

"Ms. Scott's generous gifts will help ensure this work is able to continue in many of the communities we serve, now and as we rebuild from the COVID crisis. We hope, as Ms. Scott does, her generosity is a catalyst for additional public and private support for the work of the Y and other community-serving organizations," Washington said.

Learn more about the Y's emergency relief efforts and how you can help at www.ymca.net/staywithus.

ABOUT THE Y
Driven by its founding mission, the Y has served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community for more than 175 years. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they're from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships and opportunities for all to learn, grow and thrive. By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives and generations, the Y's goal is to improve overall health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment and demonstrate the importance of connections in and across 10,000 communities nationwide. www.ymca.net

Contact:
Ryan O'Malley
YMCA of the USA
(312) 419-8970
[email protected]

SOURCE YMCA of the USA