SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES
1866
YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo is founded.
1892
The organization moves into its first building in downtown Kalamazoo.
LOOKING FORWARD
2018 1991
The Portage branch opens on Centre Avenue.
Built in 1968, a capital campaign allowed for major improvements and renovations at the Maple Y.
2023
The Y opens Northside Early Learning Center.
Our 10-year vision, One in One by2031, aims to ensure that by 2031, everyone within our service area will have access to YMCA programs and services within one mile — whether through childcare, youth sports leagues, wellness classes, or facilities — bringing opportunities to live healthier, more connected lives closer to home.
The YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo impacts more than 30,000 community members annually.
OUR LEGACY THIS IS Y.
Dear Friends,
The YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo has been a cornerstone of our community for generations. A place where people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds find strength, connection, and a sense of belonging. Together, we have built a legacy of supporting one another, growing stronger in spirit, mind, and body.
Today, we stand on the threshold of an exciting new chapter. Through the “This is Y - Building Healthy Futures For All” Campaign, we have the opportunity to invest in the future of our Portage YMCA, ensuring that it continues to serve as a vital resource for generations to come.
This transformational project will bring a total investment of $6.5 million to our community, allowing us to:
› Renovate and preserve the Y as a welcoming, vibrant space where everyone can come together to prioritize health and connection.
› Build a new Youth Center and Kids Zone, creating safe, engaging environments where children and teens can learn, grow, and thrive.
› Improve our Welcome Center, creating a more open, vibrant, and inviting space to help combat challenges like isolation and loneliness by offering a place where everyone can feel part of the Y community.
› Expand and enhance our Wellness Spaces, making them more accessible, state-of-the-art, and inspiring for people of all ages.
The YMCA has already committed $1.5 million from its reserves and borrowing for these improvements. Now, we are asking for your help to raise the remaining $5 million needed to make this vision a reality.
Every dollar you contribute is a direct investment in the health, happiness, and potential of our neighbors. Together, we can create a space that fosters wellness, nurtures relationships, and builds a stronger, more connected community.
We invite you to join us in this meaningful endeavor. Together, we can strengthen the foundations of our community and build a brighter, healthier tomorrow.
With heartfelt gratitude and hope,
CHERYL DICKSON, MD Campaign Co-Chair
SCOTT NYKAZA Campaign Co-Chair
Y NOW
› WORKING TO BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITY NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.
The YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo is embarking on an ambitious and exciting investment in the Portage YMCA. At the heart of our mission is the belief that the Y is for everyone. This campaign was created with four priorities in mind:
› IMPROVED WELLNESS OPPRTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY
The renovation of the Portage YMCA will include:
› UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO THE Y
› CREATE A COMMUNITY HUB
› IMPROVE MEMBER CHILDCARE AND YOUTH EXPERIENCE
› THE RENOVATION OF THE PORTAGE YMCA WILL INCLUDE:
• New Youth Center and member childcare Kids Zone
• Improved wellness access for individuals with chronic disease
• Improved accessibility throughout the Y
• New fitness space with natural daylighting and outdoor views
• Improved social gathering area
A Y FOR ALL
For more than 150 years, the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo has been working to build healthy minds, bodies, and spirits in Kalamazoo and Portage.
› We are guided by our core values of INTEGRITY, HEALTH, DIVERSITY, and COLLABORATION.
Our mission extends beyond our four walls. We partner with organizations throughout the community to provide innovative, evidence-based solutions that improve the health of our region. We work in underserved communities to remove barriers to health and wellness. In conjunction with our community partners, we offer initiatives that focus on increasing access to drowning prevention, skills development for young adults, and much more.
A WELCOMING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL
› We’re expanding our Welcome Center and creating a new entrance to support our mission and foster a more inclusive environment.
A new entrance and expanded Welcome Center will breathe fresh life into the heart of the Y, creating a space that feels warm, safe, and full of possibility. Our current Welcome Center is very small and outdated, missing the mark as a space where members and visitors can gather to socialize and feel connected. The new design will offer a brighter, more secure environment, with spacious accessibility and room to gather—a place for friendships to spark and connections to grow.
By addressing loneliness, isolation, and fostering a sense of belonging, this space will reflect what the Y is all about: building community.
With a more inviting entrance and a modernized hub, we’ll strengthen our ties to the community and reaffirm the Y as a cornerstone of support and togetherness.
› Bringing People Together. Building Community.
The YMCA works to bring people together across diverse backgrounds. By creating safe spaces, we’re helping build strong connections and a sense of pride throughout the community.
Did You Know?
• Lonely adults are 50% more likely to develop dementia than those who are socially connected.
• A 2023 survey found that 36% of Americans, including 61% of young adults, report feeling “seriously lonely”.
• Programs that connect individuals with community activities or groups have been shown to reduce loneliness by 16-20%.
SCAN FOR AN IMMERSIVE VIEW!
CREATING SPACE FOR EVERYONE
We’re committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment for all community members. By incorporating features like wheelchair-accessible equipment, clear signage, sensory-friendly spaces, and adaptive programs, the YMCA creates an inclusive environment that removes barriers to fitness, recreation, and community engagement. This commitment to universal design demonstrates the YMCA’s dedication to equitable accessibility, making everyone feel welcome and valued.
› OUR PRIORITIES INCLUDE
• Natural daylighting throughout the building
• Increased accessibility to exercise spaces
• Barrier-free restrooms
IN THE RIGHT
Group exercise classes are moving from 700 steps to just 130 from the main entrance - a +500% boost in accessibility!
IMPROVING WELLNESS FOR ALL
› Our Wellness Center will undergo a dramatic and exciting renovation to better serve our community’s evolving health needs.
By modernizing equipment, expanding workout spaces, and improving accessibility, the YMCA can create a welcoming environment that encourages members of all ages and abilities to pursue active, healthy lifestyles. These improvements underscore our commitment to being a vibrant hub for health and connection.
› WELLNESS FEATURES
• Brand new Wellness Center.
• Large windows to allow for natural daylighting and outdoor views.
• Three new exercise studios for additional group exercise classes that will add 6,000 square feet of programming space, an increase of 80%!
SCAN FOR AN IMMERSIVE VIEW!
Wellness Center Rendering
My family has been coming to the Y for decades. It’s where we’re able to improve our health and strengthen our family. We’re here to improve ourselves. -
Marci
SCAN FOR AN IMMERSIVE VIEW!
INVESTING IN EVERY CHILD
SCAN FOR AN IMMERSIVE VIEW!
The current member childcare center (Kids Zone) is too small and outdated, and no longer meets the needs of our members. The new addition will include a BRAND NEW AND REIMAGINED KIDS ZONE space. This new space will feature natural daylighting and be located near the new wellness center for security and ease as parents drop off kids. A dedicated drop-off space will create a better experience for members and better safety and security for our youngest members.
› OUR RENOVATED FACILITY WILL FEATURE
• Dedicated Kids Zone and Youth Space
• Natural daylighting
• Easier parent drop off
• Increase security and visibility
Did You Know?
1 in 4 working mothers report skipping or cutting back on physical fitness activities because of childcare responsiblities.
Kid Zone Rendering
A DEDICATED YOUTH CENTER
Existing space will be renovated to allow us to have a DEDICATED YOUTH CENTER where school-age students can hang out, work on homework, or just relax. We’re exited to see this space come to life to better serve our youth.
Did You Know?
28% of youth in the Portage Public School system are considered economically disadvantaged.
Youth Center Rendering
SCAN FOR AN IMMERSIVE VIEW!
“
The YMCA is a place I use to enjoy coming to for the various after-school programs offered and the overall use of the facility. Now that I have grown into adulthood, I want my kids to enjoy some of the same things I enjoyed at the same facility.
-
“
Micha
THE TIME IS NOW
SOURCES OF REVENUE (PROJECTED)
*The YMCA expects to make a signifcant contributions to maintain and underwrite operations during construction. PROJECT EXPENSES
The time is now to transform the Portage YMCA into a vibrant community hub where children grow, families connect and individuals thrive.” “
DAVE MORGAN President & CEO
WAYS TO GIVE
The YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo’s “This is Y” campaign is seeking $5 million in community philanthropy to achieve three important goals:
• Renovate and preserve the Y as a welcoming, vibrant space where everyone can come together to prioritize health and connection.
• Build a new Youth Center and Kids Zone, creating safe, engaging environments where children and teens can learn, grow, and thrive.
• Improve our Welcome Center, creating a more open, vibrant, and inviting space to help combat challenges like isolation and loneliness by offering a place where everyone can feel part of the Y community.
• Expand and enhance our Wellness Spaces, making them more accessible and modern to inspire healthier lifestyles and focused attention on health disparities and chronic disease prevention for all.
You can help us achieve this important goal by supporting this campaign through:
ONE-TIME GIFTS
Contributions to the campaign can be made in the form of a one-time gift of cash, or a gift of appreciated assets such as stocks or securities.
MULTI-YEAR PLEDGES
For your convenience, pledges can be payable over a five-year period.
COMMEMORATIVE OPPORTUNITIES
We invite you to honor friends, family, the memory of a loved one, or a business through a commemorative gift. We will work with you to determine the appropriate vehicle for permanent recognition of substantial gifts.
AN ESTATE GIFT
A planned donation made through a will or trust, providing lasting support to a project’s long-term goals and legacy.
Your charitable gift is tax deductible to the full extent of state and federal law. Please check with your tax advisor to determine how your gift may affect your personal tax situation.
As we pursue our vision of ‘1 in 1 by 2031,’ meeting people where they are and ensuring our community’s needs are met, a strong Portage YMCA is essential. The Capital Campaign strengthens this vision. A vibrant Portage YMCA will allow for continued expansion of critical services throughout the community. We want to ensure the Y’s impact is accessible to all. Together, we can build a brighter future for everyone. “
- Steering Committee Member
FOR A COLLECTION OF MEMBERS TESTIMONIALS SCAN HERE
PLEASE JOIN US IN BUILDING
