Community Foundation Grants $150,000 to Tri-County YMCA

Ferdinand, October 22, 2019:  Dubois County Community Foundation has committed $150,000 to the Tri-County YMCA facility and county-wide programming expansion.

“We believe in the mission of the Tri-County YMCA and see the positive impact in our community,” Jen Verkamp, Community Foundation board president said. “We considered that not only do the Y’s programs reach all corners of the county, but those served through its diverse health and wellness programming range from infants to seniors,” Verkamp said.

The YMCA has raised over $1.9 million toward their goal of $2.3 million. The Community Foundation grant will be paid out over a three-year period in increments of $50,000 from The Fund for Dubois County, the Community Foundation’s unrestricted endowment.

“While the expansion is physical in nature, the expansion at its core is really about the people that we serve,” said Mike Steffe, YMCA executive director.

“We strengthen our communities through offering a variety of services, such as health and wellness programs, summer camps, family time, and childcare. The expansion will have a positive impact on our organization across the board,” Steffe said. 

Past grants from the Community Foundation supported Tri-County YMCA AfterSchool Program, which provides a safe place for children to play, learn, and grow when out of school, and a community needs assessment that identified the desire for an expansion to accommodate significant growth.

 “An investment of this scale takes a strong relationship with the nonprofit, and we certainly have that in the Tri-County YMCA,” Verkamp said. “We have a lot of faith in their organization and are continuously impressed by their operations, strategic focus and eye on long-term sustainability. That made all the difference in this grant decision,” Verkamp said.