Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA

Description

About the YMCA Mission

The YMCA is a non-profit charitable organization with a mission that reaches back to 1844. That is when the Young Men's Christian Association was founded in London, England by George Williams to improve the lives of young men and society as a whole. The YMCA was unique because it crossed the rigid lines that separated all the different churches and social classes in those days. This openness was a trait that would lead the YMCA to welcoming all men, women and children, regardless of race, religion or income.

The YMCA's holistic approach to individual and social development has been symbolized by the inverse red triangle, used since 1891 by YMCAs around the world. Balanced on its tip, it represents ideal health -- a perfect balance of spirit, mind and body. In the 1990s, to summarize the YMCA's purpose, YMCAs nationally adopted the motto: "We build strong kids, strong families, strong communities."

• Trustworthiness
• Respect
• Responsibility
• Fairness
• Caring
• Citizenship