eugene ymca impact stories

2020 marked year of resilience, but only BECAUSE of YOU!

When COVID-19 shuttered businesses for almost 3 months in the spring, generous donors and longtime members made sure that the Eugene Family YMCA could take on the critical need in the community: providing free child care to frontline workers.

When public health guidance limited services due to physical distancing requirements, foundations and benefactors ensured that Y summer camps could keep kids engaged, an Outdoor Studio could be constructed for outdoor group exercise and a virtual hub could be built to meet people’s health and wellness needs at home.

When back-to-school marked the first time in the Y’s history that child care was extended for the entire day to aid children’s online schooling, it was, again, supporters and philanthropists who recognized the need to support the Y’s expanded services for youth and families.

You made it possible for the Y to shift its 3-hour per day afterschool enrichment program to a 10- hour, all-day program that incorporated expanded health and safety protocols, increased healthy meals and snacks for kids and increased WiFi capabilities for students to participate in distance learning and receive support for homework. Despite COVID-19 protocols limiting program capacity and space, the cost of delivering all-day care is similar to the cost of delivering afterschool care. As the Y’s costs to run programs and services increased, community needs also rose.

Your altruism meant that the Y was not only able to continue providing critical services to the community in 2020 but could also offer $413,506 in financial assistance to more than 3,400 people. 

Almost $270,000 in Y financial assistance helped unhoused families, those displaced by wildfires, essential workers and frontline workers with their child care needs.

More than $143,000 supported individuals seeking assistance with memberships or programs to meet their health and wellness needs–at a time when physical activity was so important to maintaining mental health.

March 21, 2021