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Since your Y closed its doors on March 12, we've faced challenges never seen before and overcome multiple obstacles to meet our mission," said Brian Steffen, CEO, Eugene Family YMCA.
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Right now, our primary focus is to keep doing what our Y has succeeded in doing for 133 years: evolving to meet the community's needs."
In the past two weeks, the Eugene Family YMCA has
reconfigured afterschool youth development programs to offer free child care for first responders, medical professionals and other essential workers; pivoted from traditional in-person exercise classes to online fitness to keep people physically active and address isolation; and spent countless hours in virtual meetings to comb through fiscal data, pending legislation and work-from-home options for Y staff, whose jobs centered around the 2055 Patterson Street facility.
Thanks to the generosity of Don and Ulli Weaver, Jim Northrop and the YMCA Board of Directors, every donation up to $25,000 in April will be matched dollar for dollar, generating a total of $50,000 toward supporting the Y's crucial mission.
"I do not want the current social conditions to jeopardize the present and future operation of our Y," said longtime Y member and supporter Don Weaver. "I am fortunate to be able to provide additional financial support without receiving my usual Y services--- my tennis routine in particular. I hope to ensure the long-term success of this indispensable nonprofit so that operations are not affected when the doors re-open."
This kind of work for the community is only possible with donor support. As a nonprofit, the Eugene Family YMCA uses its revenue from memberships and child care fees to support its programs. Without that revenue, the Y needs extra help from members and donors.
"This is a time of great need in our community--- many people wouldn't be able to go to work in our hospitals, doctor's offices, fire stations or grocery stores without child care options now that school is out for the spring," said Chip Radebaugh, Board President for the Eugene Family YMCA. "We're inspired by the staff's passion and willingness to jump in and do whatever it takes. We are grateful to those that made this match possible and to those that are able to donate--- we couldn't do this work without them."
For those in a position to help, the Y has offered several ways to
STAND WITH YOUR Y
during this crisis and have gifts doubled:
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Consider donating all or part of your federal stimulus dollars.
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Contact your Y's Chief Development Officer, Danielle Uhlhorn, at danielle@eugeneymca.org to learn how to donate a gift of stock.
Members have already stepped up in significant ways to support the Eugene Family YMCA.
"For years my kids and I have sporadically relied upon the Y for exercise and stress reduction. After a long lapse, I was just assembling a workout routine, with some degree of success, before the Covid closure, ouch," wrote Y member Cin Chubb. "Though I have lost my sources of income due to this pandemic, I am going to continue my membership payment through the Y's closure. As you have written, we are a community, all in this together."
