CHARLOTTE, N.C. – (April 13, 2022) – The YMCA of Greater Charlotte announced today details of investments in the Beatties Ford Road and West Boulevard corridors, where its McCrorey and Stratford Richardson YMCAs are located. The investments are largely funded through the $18 million gift the organization received from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the largest gift in the Y’s nearly 150-year history. Last year, the Y shared that the funds from Scott would first be focused on health, youth development and equity initiatives in the two corridors, where the Y has been serving for decades.

Plans for both YMCA branches include enhancements to existing youth programming, expanded mental health initiatives, new state-of-the-art fitness equipment, and ensuring membership access for all. At the McCrorey YMCA, where plans include senior center improvements and expansion, renovations are currently underway for a Best Buy Teen Tech Center. Additional plans at the Stratford Richardson YMCA include afterschool programming access for children in the West Boulevard Corridor and reconfigured space to accommodate dedicated areas for group exercise and youth programming. The Y is also collaborating with Atrium Health at its Stratford Richardson campus to build a community health clinic, using a recent $2 million federal appropriation, secured by Congresswoman Alma Adams, as the main funding source for the project.

“We are pleased to put plans in motion for the transformational investment in these two corridors,” said Stan Law, president and CEO of YMCA of Greater Charlotte. “This is just the beginning; the needs in our community are significant. We plan to build more partnerships and leverage additional gifts to ensure we can sustain and expand our work in these corridors and in other areas of need throughout greater Charlotte over time.”  

Throughout the pandemic, the Y prioritized serving the community, providing free childcare for essential healthcare workers, collecting and distributing masks, serving as COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites, distributing food to neighbors in need, and serving as a safe space for remote learning when schools were closed.

“As someone who grew up in the Charlotte Y, I’ve always known it’s much more than a ‘gym and swim,’” said Law. “Throughout our history, the Y has stepped in to fill gaps throughout greater Charlotte, and the pandemic put a spotlight on our community work more than ever before. The incredible support from Ms. Scott allows us to continue to double down on support in communities that need us the most right now, at the same time our Y is working to rebuild from the pandemic.”

The Y will continue to engage with the community as it formulates additional plans for community investment in these corridors and throughout the Y’s footprint.

About the YMCA of Greater Charlotte

The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The YMCA of Greater Charlotte nurtures the potential of children and teens, improves our community’s health and well-being, and provides opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Deeply rooted in the community for nearly 150 years, the YMCA of Greater Charlotte has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. The YMCA of Greater Charlotte is a proud recipient of a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator.  www.ymcacharlotte.org