Improving Our Communities’ Health and Well-Being

The YMCA of Greater Nashua’s 2021 Annual Campaign Celebration was held on May 12, outdoors at the Nashua YMCA. It was so great to be in-person and see our campaigners and friends of the Y after many months of Zoom meetings. Board Chair Steve Lynn, Annual Campaign Chair and Board member Andy Whigham and Board Member Kyle Schneck greeted guests who gathered to celebrate the Y’s philanthropy through our Annual Campaign.

To date, the Annual Campaign has raised over $438,000! As volunteers and staff know, we raise funds all year long to support our work in the community. We focus on the annual campaign each year in the first quarter of the calendar year, but meetings with donors and potential donors happens all year long.

A highlight of the Annual Campaign Celebration was sharing our Points of Pride in 2021:

• We “said yes” to frontline worker families so parents could continue to work throughout the pandemic. Over 500 kids have been served in early education and our remote learning academy programs in 2021.

• We “said yes” to dozens of seniors, families, and cancer survivors who needed to focus on their health during the pandemic through our wellness programs like Prescribe the Y and Livestrong. The Y continued these programs, when many other organizations closed their doors.

• We “said yes” to helping our community deliver thousands of free meals to our most vulnerable members and neighborhoods.

• Our Board of Directors and Trustees personally contributed over $162,000 to the Y this year!

• 138 staff gave over $31,000 this year!

• 112 Chairman’s Circle Members, donors of $1,000 or more, contributed to our campaign this year.

• In addition to what was raised through our Annual Campaign, several donors rallied to provide our Y Educational Academy with over $80,000 in financial support this year!

During the Annual Campaign Celebration presentation, Chief Development Officer Julianne Simendinger thanked our volunteers: “Thank you to 55 campaigners who volunteered your time this campaign season to raise support for kids and families in our community. Because of the challenges of being in person, much of this was done through Zoom, phone calls, email, letters, and even Facebook! While we could not do it without all of you, we would like to recognize four individuals tonight who went above and beyond the call of duty to help the Y this year.”

This year we celebrated the new “Campaign Hero Award,” presented to those who went above and beyond in their campaign support:

• Community Campaigner Francine Howe
  Our first Campaign Hero rallies every year to seek support from 15 friends, members, and even her doctor for the Y. Thank you Francine Howe for your passion!

• Board Member Camille Pattison
  In her first few months on our Board of Directors and Chairman’s Circle Committee, she always said ‘yes’ to asking a neighbor or community member for financial support. Thank you for your leadership to secure Chairman’s Circle gifts for the Y!

• Board Member JJ Poirier
  JJ was certainly our board of director campaign MVP this year, as he deepened significant donor relationships to secure over $32,000 for the annual campaign!

• Marketing Director Jason Mayeu
  Jason was a campaigner on the staff campaign. Jason was intentional meeting with each staff member and raised over $13,000 – great job Jason! He also worked behind the scenes to make online giving easy for our supporters and communicated through many channels about how support of the Y makes a difference to so many in our community.

It’s not too late to donate to help us achieve our goal of $500,000. As one of the leading nonprofits for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the Y depends on financial gifts to do our vital work. Your gift makes a difference! Click here to make an online donation: www.nmymca.org/donate