YMCA
The YMCA of Ponca City was chartered in 1955 by a group of individuals with great foresight into the needs of this community. Over the past 52 years the YMCA has been “Building strong kids, strong families and a strong community”. Throughout the United States, YMCA’s collectively are the largest community service organization serving 20.2 million men, women, and children, in 10,000 communities.
In 1968 volunteers raised the funds to build the Y facility. Throughout the years the YMCA facility has gone through several additions and renovations to keep up with the growing needs of programs and services for the people of Ponca City and the surrounding areas.
Since its opening the YMCA of Ponca City has been providing programming for youth, however when the trend and need arose in the late 80’s for child care, since more women were returning to the work force and time demanded that both parents work the YMCA responded, nationally and locally. In the 1990’s about half a million children received child care at the YMCA annually, in the nation. In 1998 the YMCA of Ponca City acquired the Before and After school child care program from the Ponca City Public school system. Since then the program has grown from 45 children daily to over 120 children daily. Since many of the sports programs in the nation were developed by the YMCA nationally like volleyball, basketball, football and racquetball, just to name a few, the YMCA of Ponca City has always tried to offer a wide variety of sports activities for youth and adults.
It is the mission of the YMCA to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. Critical to the mission of the YMCA is our dedication to inclusiveness. No one is turned away from programs or services due to inability to pay. With the help of the United Way the YMCA is able to continue to offer services for those who are in need of financial assistance. Many of the youth in our before and after school programs and our summer day camp programs would not be able to attend if we were not able to offer financial assistance.
The goal of United Way is to help make lasting changes in people’s lives, right where people live. With the help of United Way and agencies like the YMCA - changes are happening every day.
United Way helps support the following 13 member agencies: American Red Cross, Arthritis Foundation, Boy Scouts-Cimarron Council, Child Development Center, Domestic Violence Program of North Central Oklahoma, Girl Scouts – Bluestem Council, Golden Villa Adult Day Services, New Emergency Resource Agency, Northern Oklahoma Youth Services, Peachtree Landing, RSVP, The Salvation Army, and the YMCA. Results you can see.
For more information on United Way and its member agencies call 580.765.2476.