Y Talk: LIVE UNITED by Cate Mellen

Since 1859, the Carlisle Family YMCA has been a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening our community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. We’ve helped thousands of community members through swim lessons, giving several generations of local kids the skills they need to be safe around water. We’ve helped thousands of families feel secure in the knowledge that their children are safe and secure in healthy, stimulating environments, like our Child Care Center, our School Age Child Care program in South Middleton School District, our summer resident camp at Camp Thompson and our summer Youth Adventure Day Camp and New Frontiers Day Camp. All of these programs provide a nurturing environment that helps children find new talents, try new activities, gain independence, make lasting friendships and learn how to be their best selves. And we’ve helped thousands of local kids stay active and develop healthy habits they’ll carry with them throughout their lives, through participation in one of our youth sports programs like soccer, basketball, lacrosse, swimming and more. Each year, we provide nearly $300,000 in program scholarships and reduced rate memberships to local kids and families. We feel that by supporting these individuals in their time of need, we’re making an investment in our community, and helping pave the way for a brighter future for all of us.

But we couldn’t make the impact that we do on the greater Carlisle area without the support of the United Way. We’re just one of 27 local non-profit agencies who receive significant support from the United Way of Carlisle and Cumberland County each year, which enables us to extend our reach even further. Last year, the Y received $75,773 from the United Way to support our mission. This means that 25% of the financial assistance we provided last year came from the United Way.

And so, every fall, our staff is eager to participate in our United Way workplace campaign. We see every day the impact that the United Way has on our community—we see it in the smiles of kids embarking on new adventures at summer camp, the pride of a father watching his child swim for the first time, the relief of a single mother knowing her child is safe in our child care center while she works hard to provide for her family. And we hear it in the thanks we get from kids and parents alike for providing them with life-changing opportunities. It’s an incredibly moving thing to know that you helped make such moments possible.

That’s why our employees give back to the United Way. Last year, the Carlisle Family YMCA won the Chairman’s Award from the United Way for the non-profit division—which means that our staff members—from full-time department directors to part-time lifeguards, fitness instructors and camp counselors—opened up their wallets and together donated more money than any other community service organization in the greater Carlisle area. We couldn’t be more proud of them for that. They take Living United to a whole new level, and we’ve set the bar pretty high for this year. But we know we’re up to the challenge, and we won’t be giving up that honor this year without a fight.

Live United. Find out how you or your workplace can support the United Way. You’ll be glad you did.

-by Cate Mellen, Development Director and Board Liaison