WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2018
Stronger Together: YMCA across Southwestern Ontario and YMCA of Western Ontario
Stronger Together
Our Goal: Together, we will create lasting impact in all our communities for generations to come!
Based on our strong history of collaboration, the YMCAs across Southwestern Ontario and the YMCA of Western Ontario have agreed in principle to work toward a unified, single, regional YMCA. A comprehensive review of both organizations’ strengths, challenges, and opportunities has been conducted.
Together we would serve the full region from Windsor in the West, North to Goderich, South to Point Pelee National Park, East to Woodstock.
Board Chair of the YMCA of Western Ontario, Marjie Macoun, explained, “we have a long-standing positive working relationship that includes our collaborative partnership to successfully create Camp Henry at Point Pelee National Park. We are really excited about this possibility of becoming one organization!”
The Boards, CEOs and staff leadership recognized their strong alignment in mission, vision, values, and programming and see this as an opportunity to better serve our communities.
For Shawn Zettel, chair of the YMCAs across Southwestern Ontario, maintaining local connections remains a priority. As he stated, “the unification plan will allow the YMCAs to access the benefits of a regional organization while also maintaining strong local leadership and community-level connections so that local YMCAs ‘look and feel’ like the community they serve”. The spirit of YMCAs staying connected to local communities will remain a priority.
The work over the coming months will focus on developing the business and transition plan. The final decision regarding whether or not to become one organization will likely occur by the summer of 2018.
These YMCAs are not alone in their pursuit of unification. As Andrew Lockie, CEO, YMCA of Western Ontario shared, “Across North America, YMCAs have been joining forces to achieve greater impact on the communities they serve. The decision is consistent and aligned with the YMCA Canada Strategy and vision to strengthen the overall capacity and capabilities of YMCAs across Canada. The aim is to grow and create impact in a rapidly changing community environment and philanthropic landscape. This work of strengthening regional areas by creating larger regional organizations is occurring across other sectors as well.”
Kathi Lomas-McGee, Interim CEO, YMCAs across Southwestern Ontario explained the importance of planning for today and years to come, “we remain committed to serving our members and communities in the best possible way as we plan for the future. We believe together, we will create lasting impact in all our communities for generations to come!”
Spokespersons:
Andrew Lockie, CEO
YMCA of Western Ontario
519.907.5500 x1120
alockie@ymcawo.ca
Kathi Lomas-McGee
Interim President & CEO
YMCAs across Southwestern Ontario
519.955.3432
Kathi.lomasmcgee@swo.ymca.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Building healthy communities About the YMCAs across Southwestern Ontario and the YMCA of Western Ontario
The YMCA of Western Ontario and YMCAs across Southwestern Ontario are recognized leaders in building healthy communities and are focused on building health, ensuring belonging, and helping everyone we serve achieve their full potential – at any age or stage.
The YMCA is open to all, regardless of financial ability. The YMCA’s goal is to serve as many community members as possible and provides subsidy when needed to ensure this goal.
The YMCAs across Southwestern Ontario currently serve more than 21,000 participants in 49 locations in the region, throughout Sarnia-Lambton, Chatham-Kent, Goderich-Huron, North Middlesex, Lambton Shores, and Central Huron.
The YMCA of Western Ontario serves 138,183 people across all our programs and services, from Windsor to Woodstock.
As a charity the YMCAs across Southwestern Ontario provided financial assistance to 1 in 5 members and participants in 2016, equaling more than $479,000 in financial assistance.
The YMCA of Western Ontario provided financial assistance to 1 in 3 members and participants in 2016, equaling more than 2.4 million in financial assistance.