YMCA

The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA or Y) is a worldwide nonprofit organization founded in England in 1844. The YMCA of the USA website states that the organization is dedicated to putting “Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all” (YMCA of the USA, n.d.). Local YMCAs engage in a wide variety of charitable activities, including providing athletic facilities, holding community classes focused on a range of skills (e.g., group exercise, youth programs, swim lessons, health programs, and more), and doing humanitarian work.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the YMCA responded to the new technical and professional needs of U.S. society with evening courses in a variety of workforce-oriented areas, and today, the organization provides numerous ...