History of YMCA

Movement Volunteer founded and volunteer led, the YMCA was established in London, England, in 1844 by George Williams, a draper’s shop assistant to give young men an alternative to life on the streets. In 1851, Thomas Sullivan, a retired sea captain and lay missionary, started the first YMCA in the United States in Boston. Today, the nation’s more than 2,500 YMCA’s are the largest not-for-profit community service organizations in America, working to meet the health and social service needs of 18.9 million men, women and children in 10,000 communities in the United States. YMCA’s are at work in more than 120 countries around the world, serving more than 45 million people. About 230 US YMCA’s maintain relationships with Y’s in other countries, staying committed to building strong kids, strong families and strong communities worldwide. Y’s are for people of all faiths, races, abilities, ages and incomes. No one is turned away for inability to pay. YMCA’s strength is in the people they bring together.

Your local YMCA Family Center

On March 26, 1886 The YMCA was opened in Grand Forks, ND. It was organized through the collaboration of six churches within the community, who each appointed a pastor as a lay member to help establish the YMCA. These volunteers determined that the YMCA should “promote the moral welfare, the social, intellectual, and physical benefit of young men”. The first YMCA offered group devotions, singing, prayer, reading rooms and gym. Today, the Grand Forks YMCA Family Center is open to men, women and children of all faiths, races, abilities, ages and incomes. In 1969, Our current facility was built, which now hosts two gymnasiums, a swimming pool, aerobic conditioning center, free weight and nautilus area, child care center, aerobic classes, 3 racquetball courts, running track, indoor playroom and community meeting rooms. We provide a wide variety of programs and services for every member of the family to come together and enjoy.

Character Development

The YMCA staff and volunteers incorporate through the programs and services that are offered value enhancing experiences that challenge youth and families to accept and demonstrate four core positive values:

We recognize the home/family as the primary source of values education for youth. The YMCA Family Center joins with schools and churches as a support system in this education.