The Lotto Factory’s Weekly Spotlight: YMCA of Fredericton
The YMCA of Fredericton is a charitable organization that works in close collaboration with all individuals in their community by encouraging them to reach their full potential through the promotion of a healthy body, mind and spirit. For over 162 years they have been a valued family resource that has continuously listened and responded to the specific needs of all of their members. They center their initiatives around inclusiveness and accessibility by welcoming people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities throughout all stages of life.
The YMCA of Fredericton connects more than 50,000 people across the region and provides them with a safe and welcoming space that is aimed at improving the health and well-being of all. The services they offer include membership, health and wellness, employment, childcare, global and community programs and leadership development.
All YMCA locations serve and support both local and global communities as a part of an ongoing international movement. Their journey to success began in London England over 170 years ago with a single man who was inspired and motivated to work towards strengthening his community. From this man’s idea stemmed a movement that would soon spread across the entire globe. In 1851 the first Canadian YMCA opened in Montreal. Today, they have over 1700 locations across Canada and hold the title as one of the country’s longest-standing and largest charities. In 2019, the YMCA served over 2.25 million Canadians in communities stretching from coast to coast.
As a charity, the YMCA delivers a vital community service that has a profoundly positive impact on some of Canada’s most pressing social issues. These issues range from chronic disease to unemployment, social isolation, poverty, inequality and more. Uniting as a community has never been more important than it is today. With the ongoing stress many charitable organizations are experiencing due to COVID-19, they are struggling to find enough external funding to keep their operations running smoothly. The YMCA of Fredericton has expressed endless gratitude for their community which continued to support them during this pandemic either by means of donations or continuing their memberships even when the facilities were temporarily closed. The YMCA of Fredericton has recently adopted another fundraising tactic to help them recover from the devastating impacts of COVID-19 so they can continue to provide ongoing support within the city. Their latest fundraiser is a weekly, online progressive 50/50 draw that allows players to purchase tickets for $2 each to be entered to win half of that given week’s entire jackpot. Through their affiliation with The Lotto Factory, The YMCA has been able to launch this online fundraising platform which has already experienced a tremendous amount of success.
Central to the overall success of this organization are the people who unite their mission, the places for individuals to feel welcome and their community-based programs that help numerous families achieve their full potential. These three resources combined are all interwoven at the YMCA to generate a sense of belonging and help members achieve their personal development goals. Without the assistance of donations and fundraising, they would not be able to provide this safe and inclusive environment. Throughout especially challenging times such as the ones brought on by the Coronavirus Pandemic, it is even more difficult for these non-profit organizations to obtain the funds to keep their mission alive. The YMCA of Fredericton continues to take the initiative to explore new and innovative ways to keep their fundraising efforts successful so that they can continue to be a valuable resource within their community.
References
Who We Are. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2020, from https://www.ymca.ca/Who-We-Are
About Us. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2020, from https://fredericton.ymca.ca/About-Us
