About the Nonprofit
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The mission of the University Y is to “develop campus and community leaders committed to social justice, environmental protection, interfaith cooperation and global engagement by fostering dialogue, reflection and action.”
All of our programs flow from this mission and the related goals. As such we continue a long established YMCA policy of full inclusiveness of all persons including a strong reference to both our Christian heritage and our policy of openness to all religious and other traditions, while emphasizing intellectual, spiritual and ethical growth.
Social Justice
The Y responds to society’s most pressing needs by developing innovative community-based solutions to help all reach their full potential. Friday Forum has sparked discussion and debate on the pressing issues of the day, while Art @ the Y engages issues of social justice, international understanding, environmental activism, faith and cultural understanding. The New American Welcome Center develops and coordinates programs to support the integration of foreign-born residents into society. This year we hope to open a satellite location to expand its reach into the local immigrant community
Environmental Protection
The Y is about building tomorrow’s environmentally conscious leaders and promoting clean, healthy communities. Our programs support student groups that work to educate the community on environmental issues, lobby for change and preserve native ecosystems, while Dump & Run annually saves over 25,000 tons of waste from landfills.
Interfaith Action
It seems like everywhere you look you find stories of religious strife and images of hatred and violence. The Y is about coming together to tell a different story. Last year we hosted the largest Interfaith Conference in campus history, with over 80 students and community members coming together to discuss our shared experiences, while our First Tuesday’s discussion group once a month brings together community members and students of different faiths to create interfaith dialogue.
Global Engagement
For over 100 years the Y’s international programming has fostered the creation of dynamic, vibrant communities. Each and every day our organization strives to operate with responsibility to meet the needs of our changing communities both at home and abroad though programs like our International Dinner and our Sierra Leone Partnership.
Membership
The University YMCA membership comes from participants in and supporters of our programs and includes students and campus members, as well as community volunteers. An active relationship is maintained with hundreds of alumni “members” who were previously involved in Y programs while students. We have worked to expand and strengthen our alumni network by extending events across the country, and in the past few months we have held receptions in Chicago, San Francisco and Washington D.C.
Strategic Location and Historic Facilities
Located on YMCA-owned property in the heart of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus, our building enjoys a strategic location for the daily use of many students and faculty. The YMCA at the University of Illinois, constructed in 1937, is the only such historic YMCA facility still in use at a campus in the continental United States. By location and composition, our YMCA is able to serve as both a forum for the University and a bridge between the campus and wider communities.
Governance and Staff
A local Board of Governors, which owns the property and sets policy for our YMCA, consists of thirty men and women representing students, faculty and the community. A national Board of Trustees is entrusted with the long-term management of the YMCA’s financial and physical resources. A variety of committees plan and conduct programs, secure and administer resources, help develop and carry out policies of the Board of Governors, operate the office, and maintain the facilities.
The University Y has existed to meet the challenges and needs of this campus and community for over 146 years. We are committed to continuing that work and to carry out our mission well in to the future.
