YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS

YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS FOR OVER 140 YEARS THE YMCA OF SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS HAS BEEN TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE METRO-EAST. OUR MISSION IS "TO PUT CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES IN PRACTICE THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT BUILD HEALTHY SPIRIT , MIND AND BODY FOR ALL." ROOTED IN CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES, OUR PROGRAMS DO MORE THAN JUST PROVIDE DISTRACTION; THEY CREATE MOMENTS OF REVOLUTION, MOMENTS OF TRANSFORMATION, IN THE CHARACTER OF THE INDIVIDUAL, THE VALUES OF A FAMILY, AND IN THE CULTURE OF OUR COMMUNITIES. WHAT STARTED AS A MOVEMENT WITHOUT A PLACE TO CALL HOME, HAS NOW GROWN TO INCLUDE 8 LOCATIONS AND OVER 87 PROGRAM SITES---THROUGHOUT OUR REGION. BECAUSE THE YMCA IS NOT ABOUT A BUILDING, WE DELIVER SERVICES IN SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, PARKS, LIBRARIES, HOSPITALS, PARKING-LOTS AND EVEN IN REMOTE VILLAGES IN GUATEMALA--- THE YMCA IS A MOVEMENT THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO A PLACE OR SITE--- FOLLOWING THE LEAD OF OUR PREDECESSORS WE GO WHERE THE CHALLENGES ARE, WHERE PEOPLE GATHER, WHERE SPIRITS, MINDS, AND BODIES CAN BE