Young Mens Christian Association of Metropolitan Milwaukee
The Y: For a better US.™
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Y seeks to play a central role in generating a more vibrant Milwaukee. This commitment comes at a time when our community needs to improve in response to a changing social environment, yet also build upon those activities that worked well in the past and helped many achieve health and happiness. Access to our programming means a great deal to people coming to us from a variety of starting points. We believe in a 360 degree approach to neighborhood redevelopment that can help people of all ages come closer to achieving their full potential. We intentionally seek out opportunities to connect our services and attributes to existing community assets in the neighborhood to help residents transition to a better quality of life. We believe that through an integrated strategy, all organizations can work to truly transform a neighborhood. Lindsay Heights, the neighborhood surrounding the Northside Y, is a perfect example of a location where this collective impact is occurring.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility Programs
The YMCA serves all people, regardless of their ability to pay, with programs that develop the spirit, mind, and body. YMCA provides traditional daycare, an after school enrichment program, and day camp activities. YMCA also offers programs designed to develop the spirit, mind and body through cardiovascular and muscular activity.
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
The YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee helps children fulfill their potential through its 5-Star early childhood education program serving children 6-weeks to 5 years of age. The program hosted at the Northside and Northwest Ys, Camp Minikani, and Sonlight provides a top-rated experience for children and their families based on the latest research in the early childhood education field including Creative Curriculum and Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), a screening and evaluation tool. Working directly with some of the most underserved populations, the Y provides nutritional services to children at all of its sites. Without adequate nutrition, research has shown that learning is not as effective and normal gross and fine motor development nearly impossible. The program also monitors healthy development including immunizations, well baby checkups, and the presence of a medical and dental home for Early Head Start participants. Health and nutrition are factors in child outcomes.
Day Camp
Day Camp incorporates educational concepts (math, science, and reading/literacy) into all regular and special activities to offset the phenomenon of summer learning loss. The program also serves a free breakfast, lunch, and dinner to not only campers, but also community youth through the Summer Food Service Provider (SFSP) program. Many of these children would otherwise experience food "insecurity” after depending on the Free and Reduced lunch program during the school year.
Day Camp’s five 2021 locations (Northwest Y - which included a separate adaptive camp, Rite-Hite Y, Lincoln Park, Rite-Hite Y, and Wilson Park) served more than children from all areas of the Milwaukee community. Each site offers extended day programming for working parents. Day Camp this year expanded a character development component which features evidence-based staff training in empathy, relationship building, emotional management, and responsibility to significantly improve the quality of care for all.
ACHIEVERS
The Achievers program sets high academic standards for teens of color and introduces college and career options. All participants must maintain a minimum G.P.A. (2.5) and attend 80 percent of program activities. Program results included: For the 11th consecutive year, 100% of seniors graduated (with 96% of the graduates being accepted and enrolling in the college/ university of their choice in the Fall of 2021).
Reducing Social Isolation Among Older Adults
The Y offers uplifting and energizing programs that helps older adults take greater control of their health by encouraging physical activity and building social connections. All centers offer sessions that vary in intensity to fit every individual’s personal needs and interests. SilverSneakers classes are taught by credentialed instructors who are specially trained in leading fitness programs for aging adults. Active Older Adults classes were designed specifically to meet the needs of seniors who enter the program at any fitness level. Senior programming at the Y also offers a great opportunity for participants to join in group social events and member-led volunteer projects providing the opportunity for older adults to build bonds with others just like them.
HEALTHY AND ADAPTIVE COMMUNITIES
Our Y has enlarged its healthy living activities, grown our off-site services, and expanded our evidence-based health integration programs. Our health programs follow a Community Integrated Health model that links traditional health care and community-based prevention strategies. The goal is for individuals to prevent chronic conditions, delay their onset, or live better after a diagnosis.
Last year, we brought back in-house our Diabetes Prevention Program, launched Moving for Better Balance, recommitted to LIVESTRONG, and completed staff training for Enhance Fitness. Other Evidenced Based Health Initiative (EBHI) efforts launched or scheduled to begin including Blood-Pressure Self-Monitoring, and Healthy Weight and Your Child.
In Miracle League, all youth participants with physical or cognitive challenges play organized baseball. All areas of the field, including the dugouts, restrooms, playground, and concession stands, feature universal accessibility.
Adaptive Summer Camp lets kids with diverse abilities have fun with their peers through structured activities and guided free time. For their parents who work, it is a blessing to know that their children’s special needs will be met by a caring, committed, and knowledgeable staff in a safe and supportive environment.
CAMP MINIKANI
YMCA Camp Minikani, on Amy Belle Lake, first opened in 1919. Free from technology and the social pressures of school and home, campers thrive and discover intrinsic qualities that first appeared while attending camp. This year, more than 2,200 youth attended camp.
In addition to traditional overnight and summer day camp, Minikani offers specialty camps and programs that take place throughout the year. In addition, Environmental Education workshops bring more than 8,800 public and private school students to camp each year to support classroom learning and to learn about the natural world from aquatic ecology to ecosystems.
SAFETY AROUND WATER
The program's goal is to counter the statistics surrounding drowning in our community. Safety Around Water emphasizes early swim techniques in an eight-session program. It also teaches how to help others in distress and manage emergencies. Each participant only pays a $5 fee with a maximum family out-of-pocket cost of $10.
The audience of Safety Around Water is any school age child who cannot jump into the water and safely exit the pool on their own or has not received formal swim instruction. The curriculum features weekly data check points and a dryland program for days when the weather is not optimal.
Where we work
External reviews
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
As we move forward, we realize that we need to be focused and strategic so we have embarked on a Strategic Plan that will set the vision, goals and priorities as we continue in our strategic transformation. The board and leadership have already begun the process and are committed to work together to ensure success. Through the strategic planning process, more than 150 community leaders were surveyed to determine their perspective on community needs and their perceptions of the roles the Y could play in addressing those challenges.
While the Y strives to have each center serve as a vital community hub, we recognize that each neighborhood has many needs including strong education, safe neighborhoods, healthy and thriving children and youth, strong families, jobs and economic success, and affordable housing. The Y is positioned to meet several of those needs. With the best interests of the community in mind, the Y has set its sights over the past year on expanding partnerships with others to create community-wide improvement in each of these areas.
The Y will add even more Health Prevention & Integration to its program portfolio in the near future, and the organization will make use of Y-USA's extensive marketing outreach including its annual campaign timeline. In the upcoming year, expect the Y to address local health disparities, chronic disease prevention, the ongoing need for safe spaces, and the national Y's concerted effort to do its part in creating a better “Us".
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Staff training has again become a priority especially with the wealth of training resources available regionally and nationally from Y-USA. Funds set aside for staff training will positively impact staff competencies including leadership development. Reconnecting to Y-USA certifications will bring a host of benefits including improved fund raising, better financial management, and stronger supervisory skills.
We have pledged to demonstrate an organizational commitment to create, strengthen and replicate practices that bring greater community cohesion and social equity to our community. Last year, the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee officially joined a network becoming the 79th Diversity, Inclusion, Global, and Equity (DIG) Innovation YMCA. In FY 2018-19, we incorporated DIG principles as a business imperative in all areas including member engagement, program innovation, leadership development, collaboration, communications, and mission advancement. And all program evaluation now includes a diversity lens to ensure that we live up to our goals and remain true to our intent. A Volunteer Social Responsibility Committee comprised of Diversity Officers and Corporate Leaders from across Milwaukee provides guidance to our efforts to keep moving forward and embracing diversity across the Association.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Last year began with creating our Strategic Plan, a shared undertaking between board members, leadership staff, and community stakeholders. Here are the major organizational goals that our strategic plan defined and that we are committed to work towards:
The YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee seeks to pursue financial sustainability, maintain our relevance with families and deepen our community impact with a priority in the city of Milwaukee.
Our work is more relevant than ever because we need to maintain consistency while our community continues to change. We have committed to maintaining a razor-sharp focus on our three pillars and specific strategic priorities within each area: 1) Youth Development: To be the primary place for youth during out of school time. 2) Healthy Living: To be a key stakeholder that influences health and well-being for all. 3) Social Responsibility: To strengthen community by addressing critical issues and increasing organizational capacity so all segments of society can have access and thrive at the Y.
We then followed up the creation of our strategic plan with the adoption of sound business practices to ensure that the entire management team was working towards the same goals, that our work had common metrics, and that any necessary changes could be made in real time. To this end, Program Directors and Executive Team Members compiled a Business Plan before the budget cycle began in June 2018, updated it after the preliminary budget was passed by the Executive Board in September, and revised it again at regular intervals.
The Y conducts a continuous self-assessment process in each program area. Examples of this reflective learning could be provided in any Y program area. The Y has made a commitment to be more data driven in all organizational decisions. A self-observation process takes place in every single Y program area to understand what transpired over the past year and what can be done to overcome emerging community trends.
Providing financial support to those who cannot afford to pay full price for our services can put an internal strain on the Y's overall budget. That is why the most important benchmark that will determine success when looking closer at year-end results is reaching the targets in each of the three funding model substructures (philanthropy, programs, and earned revenues). We have learned over time that staff and organizational capacity to achieve and surpass programmatic outcomes directly correlates to obtaining the financial support from all three categories of our funding model.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Our marketing strategy over the year emphasized that the Y is much more than a fitness center and that health and wellness principles are important parts of all program activities. When someone shows interest in what we are doing to strengthen Milwaukee, we always share that: 1) the Y is for youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. 2) Our work is “for all” including those from any age bracket or background. 3) Our goal is to help all community members live their healthiest lives. We believe that when people hear our story, they will visit the Y, enroll in our programs, and become Y members,which benefits both the individual and the Association.
Youth Development, Healthy Responsibility, and Social Responsibility are the YMCA's three pillars and not very different from the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee's focus areas when it was begun 159 years ago. Everybody wants their family members to live long and prosperous lives. Parents of youth (especially teens) worry about their children and want them to interact with other socially responsible youth when engaged in experiences away from home. Parents especially appreciate having other caring adults act as role models and mentors. Everyone can learn from programming that practices character development. With the help of our partners, the youth the Y serves will grow into the leaders of tomorrow, the families the Y serves will adopt healthier lifestyles, and all in the Milwaukee community will care a little more for our neighbors and fellow citizens. With the Y's continuing work in the current year and beyond, we will be a step closer to becoming a more unified, yet diverse society.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Young Mens Christian Association of Metropolitan Milwaukee
Board of directorsas of 05/16/2022
Mr. Bruce Miller
National Insurance Services (r)
Term: 2021 - 2023
Tina Chang
SysLogic, Inc.
Carrie M. Wall
YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee, Inc.
Jeffrey J. Lueken
Northwestern Mutual
Anne Ballentine
Rogers Behavioral Health
Jerry Schlitz
First Midwest Bank
Jessica Lochmann
Foley & Lardner LLP
Bruce Miller
National Insurance Services
Mary Panzer
Panzer Consulting
Jill Pelisek
UWM School of Business Admin
Rachel Roller
Laine Strategies
Michelle Frazier
Advocate Aurora Health
Greg Wesley
Medical College of Wisconsin
Chris Marschka
PNC Bank
Kevin Newell
Royal Capital Group
Terrell Walter
Royal Capital Group
Andres Gonzalez
Froedtert & Medical College of WI
Glenn Margraff
Wintrust Financial – Town Bank
Drew Maxwell
MIAD
Hon. Derek Mosley
Milwaukee Municipal Court
Frank Cumberbatch
Bader Philanthropies
Cynthia Stokes-Murray
Michael’s
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/11/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.