The YMCA of Greater Whittier celebrated 92 years of building stronger kids, stronger families and a stronger, healthier community in 2007. The fiscal year most recently completed was a remarkable year in the life of our Association reflecting substantial progress toward our 2006-2011 Strategic Goals and Objectives approved by the YMCA Corporate Board of Directors in 2005.
This report chronicles some of our achievements during the past year. We continue to experience solid growth and we are stronger now than at any point in our history since the founding of our Association in 1915. Here are just a few of the highlights:
In 2007, participation in our YMCA’s programs grew by slightly more than 8%. This, in the face of a softening economy, is a strong indication of people’s desire to strengthen their spirit, mind and body through involvement in our YMCA. In fact, of the 14,725 people who walked through our doors and participated in some type of YMCA program, 8,249 people chose to join our YMCA in 2007, nearly 30% of whom were youth under age 18 and 31% were adults age 55 and over. Individuals of all ages experienced our YMCA’s program values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility in all that we do.
Another highlight is our annual Current Support Campaign. This record breaking accomplishment saw a 10% increase in the number of volunteer campaigners to a new high of 326 and a 13% increase in the number of gifts for a new high of 2,684 individuals, business and foundation contributors, demonstrating broad support from the communities we serve. In total 1,859 volunteers donated 124,812 hours of volunteer service to our YMCA in 2007.
It is also worthy to note that our YMCA has grown 75.18% over the past nine budget cycles. That is 8.35% growth per year on average for each of the past nine years, always with a balanced budget and always debt-free. This is not only a sound business practice, but also an operating principle that is consistent with the vision and values of our Association. We truly are in fact “dedicated to being good stewards of all the resources that God provides”.
But the size and financial strength of our Association are not the primary measure of the value of the YMCA to our members and the communities that we serve. The best and truest measure of our success is found in the positive difference the YMCA makes in individual lives. Consider the self esteem of a young girl after making her first basket in a YMCA youth basketball game or the expanded world of a 10-year-old boy on his first nature hike at YMCA Camp Arbolado. We’ve also impacted the career of a young single mother whose children are enrolled in a YMCA child care program and in the life of an 86-year-old grandfather whose recovery from a heart attack is now complete thanks to his ongoing participation in a YMCA Healthy Lifestyle program.
Our YMCA is about changing lives -- providing children with the values they need to grow into healthy, productive adults, as well as offering families the tools they need to improve the health and well-being of their whole family.
On a personal note, I have been so very fortunate to work side-by-side with Janet Henke as our Board Chair for the past two years. Her solid support, dignity and grace in leadership was been a real blessing to me and all of our YMCA staff members. I am also delighted to see her hand the gavel of board leadership over to John Richmond who brings a strong commitment to Christian service and Christian mission to our YMCA. These two remarkable board members have more than 20 years of volunteer service to our YMCA Corporate Board of Directors. With their help, and yours, much will be accomplished. Thanks so much for your faithful support in the year gone by. May God richly bless you and yours in the year ahead.
In His Service,
Mike Blackmore
President & CEO