THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY DINNIMAN, ALLOWAY, BAKER, BOSCOLA, BROWNE, ERICKSON, FERLO, FONTANA, HUGHES, KASUNIC, KITCHEN, LOGAN, MUSTO, O'PAKE, PILEGGI, RAFFERTY, STACK, STOUT, TARTAGLIONE, WAUGH, M. WHITE, WILLIAMS, WONDERLING, FARNESE, GORDNER AND WASHINGTON, APRIL 28, 2009

INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, APRIL 28, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

Commending the 164 local YMCAs for providing outstanding

community services and recognizing the month of May 2009 as

"YMCA Appreciation Month" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, YMCAs are collectively the largest nonprofit

organization in this Commonwealth, with more YMCAs having been

founded here than in any other state; and

WHEREAS, YMCAs are volunteer founded, volunteer based and

volunteer led, with more than 25,000 Commonwealth residents

volunteering as coaches, mentors, program leaders, instructors

and 3,500 as board members; and

WHEREAS, YMCAs are charitable nonprofit organizations

providing access to everyone regardless of their ability to pay,

so that all persons have the opportunity to be a part of the

YMCA family and benefit from a wide variety of programs and

services; and

WHEREAS, The YMCAs in this Commonwealth collectively serve

more than 1 million people of all ages, races, genders, creeds,

religions, backgrounds and economic levels; and

WHEREAS, The YMCAs in this Commonwealth collectively raise

nearly $50 million for scholarships, subsidies and other

community services each year; and

WHEREAS, YMCAs are collectively the largest provider of child

care services, with 128 YMCAs serving more than 19,000 children

every day; and

WHEREAS, YMCAs are leading the fight against childhood

obesity through health and wellness programs, such as Activate

America, and partnering with the Centers for Disease Control,

foundations and hospitals to increase the fitness levels of

adults and families in this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Pennsylvania YMCAs operate nine resident camps and

130 day camps, serving nearly 45,000 children, youth and

families; and

WHEREAS, YMCAs are battling homelessness by providing long-

term and short-term housing; and

WHEREAS, Pennsylvania YMCAs collaborate with community health

and wellness coalitions, juvenile courts, schools, churches,

local and county governments and civic organizations to provide

gang prevention, environmental education, international

programs, water safety, mentoring and tutoring programs,

antidrug and alcohol education, teen leadership and civic

engagement, character development, structured family activities

and a variety of other programs for children, youth, adults and

seniors; and

WHEREAS, Forty-two percent of YMCA members and program

participants are under 18 years of age, and nearly 15% of YMCA

members are over 55 years of age; and

WHEREAS, The YMCA recognizes the public trust placed in them

as a charity, they meet the highest standards of governance,

ethics and accountability, and have established themselves as

leaders in the nonprofit community by improving their own

measure of accountability, transparency and community benefit;

and

WHEREAS, All YMCA activities incorporate the YMCA core values

of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility and the YMCA

seeks to put Christian values into practice through programs

that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all; therefore be

it

RESOLVED, That the Senate commend the volunteers and staff of

the YMCA for their service to the people of this Commonwealth

and their communities and recognize May 2009 as "YMCA

Appreciation Month" in Pennsylvania.