The Summit Area YMCA is committed to nurturing the potential of every individual, promoting healthy living, and fostering a sense of social responsibility. We are a cause-driven, volunteer-led, nonprofit organization working to support and strengthen the foundations of community.
The Summit Area YMCA is the first Diversity, Inclusion and Global Innovation Network YMCA in New Jersey committed to creating a culture in which diversity and inclusion are integral to everyday operations. Through welcoming, inclusive practices and environments, we welcome and engage all people from all diverse groups of the community to help and create lasting, meaningful change. Supporting families and the community in their efforts to spread awareness, appreciation for diversity and a sense of inclusivity for everyone in the community is core to the Y’s mission to help every individual reach their highest potential. At the Y, we realize that in order to better the world around us and for the future, we must unite and work towards the strengthening of the individual in mind, body and spirit… For a stronger individual. For a united community. For a better us.
In 1886, we were founded as the Young Men’s Christian Association, but today, we are The Y. An association that values and is made stronger by, its diverse people. We stand for youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility — For a better us. We are committed to creating equal opportunity for all regardless of gender, age, disability, income, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religious affiliation. We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive culture in which our mission, core values, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion are integral to everyday operations.
Our branches are vital, vibrant, and valued centers in the community, which provide meaningful experiences for individuals and families. Each year, as one of the area’s leading 501(c)(3) charitable organizations, the Summit Area YMCA serves more than 15,000 individuals with our free and fee-based programs and services in an area spanning the New Jersey communities of Berkeley Heights, Gillette, Millburn, New Providence, Short Hills, Springfield, Stirling, and Summit. Our history is rooted in working side-by-side with our neighbors to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive.
All of our programs and services are infused with the Y core values of honesty, caring, respect, responsibility, and equity, which enable us to work together to ensure every individual can feel welcomed and included in a safe space. Our holistic approach to wellness focuses on building a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. Through the generosity of our members, donors, and partners, we are able to offer scholarships and free programs in response to community need, including 7th Grade Initiative, Child Abuse Prevention Training, Healthy Hearts Cardiac Maintenance, LIVESTRONG® at the YMCA Cancer Rehabilitation, Active Military & Disabled Veteran Memberships, Educational Lectures, Cultural Events, Special Needs Activities, Safety Around Water, Teen Programs like Achievers and much more.
The Summit Area YMCA is also changing the way individuals, who are engaged in civic and charitable organizations, collaborate to provide practical and affordable answers to large-scale community issues such as child care, childhood obesity, chronic disease prevention, and the achievement gap among students. As a volunteer-led organization, we are grateful for the time, talent, and resources that our volunteers share to advance the Y’s mission.
