A resolution recognizing and honoring the Young Men’s Christian Association

Senate

Resolution

104

-

Introduced

SENATE

RESOLUTION

NO.

104

BY

LOFGREN

,

SHIPLEY

,

REICHMAN

,

GUTH

,

BOUSSELOT

,

COSTELLO

,

EVANS

,

SALMON

,

ROWLEY

,

WESTRICH

,

SCHULTZ

,

ZUMBACH

,

DRISCOLL

,

SIRES

,

WARME

,

WHITVER

,

McCLINTOCK

,

and

TAYLOR

A

Resolution

recognizing

and

honoring

the

Young

1

Men’s

Christian

Association

(YMCA)

on

its

175th

2

anniversary.

3

WHEREAS,

the

YMCA

marks

its

175th

anniversary,

4

having

been

founded

in

the

United

States

on

December

5

29,

1851,

by

Thomas

Valentine

Sullivan

at

the

Old

South

6

Church

in

Boston,

inspired

by

the

YMCA

movement

in

7

England

and

dedicated

to

putting

Christian

principles

8

into

practice

through

programs

that

build

healthy

9

spirits,

minds,

and

bodies

for

all;

and

10

WHEREAS,

the

YMCA,

as

one

of

the

nation’s

leading

11

charitable

nonprofits,

has

continually

adapted

to

meet

12

evolving

community

needs,

strengthening

society

by

13

bringing

people

together,

fostering

relationships,

and

14

promoting

belonging

and

connection;

and

15

WHEREAS,

the

YMCA

has

a

distinguished

legacy

that

16

includes

providing

safe

housing

during

the

industrial

17

revolution,

pioneering

the

first

night

school

and

18

English

as

a

second

language

class,

inventing

the

game

19

of

basketball,

delivering

the

first

group

swim

lessons,

20

leading

humanitarian

efforts

during

wartime,

including

21

the

work

of

YMCA

leader

John

R.

Mott,

recipient

of

the

22

1946

Nobel

Peace

Prize,

establishing

the

Youth

and

23

Government

Program

in

1936,

serving

as

the

birthplace

24

of

Father’s

Day

in

1910,

becoming

the

nation’s

leading

25

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S.R.

104

nonprofit

provider

of

child

care

and

afterschool

1

programs,

and

providing

emergency

child

care

and

food

2

resources

to

frontline

workers

and

families

during

the

3

COVID-19

pandemic;

and

4

WHEREAS,

today,

more

than

2,600

YMCAs

serve

over

5

10,000

communities

in

every

state

and

territory

of

the

6

United

States,

supported

by

more

than

300,000

staff

7

members

and

350,000

volunteers

who

deliver

essential

8

programs

to

over

17

million

individuals

annually,

9

including

nearly

11

million

adults

and

6.5

million

10

children

and

youth;

and

11

WHEREAS,

YMCAs

in

the

state

of

Iowa

opened

in

the

12

late

1850s,

and

today,

47

YMCAs

serve

over

250,000

13

Iowans

annually

through

the

collective

impact

of

more

14

than

5,000

staff

and

8,000

volunteers,

providing

youth

15

development,

healthy

living,

and

social

responsibility

16

programs

across

the

state;

and

17

WHEREAS,

the

YMCA

is

a

national

leader

in

swim

18

lessons,

youth

sports,

camping,

meal

programs,

19

community

wellness

programs,

chronic

disease

prevention

20

initiatives,

and

is

the

largest

provider

of

fitness

21

programming

for

older

adults

in

the

United

States;

and

22

WHEREAS,

the

YMCA

serves

individuals

of

all

ages,

23

backgrounds,

and

abilities,

ensuring

that

all

people

24

are

welcome,

respected,

supported,

and

connected

to

25

their

community;

and

26

WHEREAS,

YMCAs

nationwide

continue

to

work

toward

27

stronger

and

more

connected

communities

by

creating

28

intentional

experiences

that

support

achievement,

29

well-being,

relationships,

and

opportunities

to

30

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104

thrive;

and

1

WHEREAS,

in

2026,

YMCAs

across

the

country

will

2

host

celebrations

recognizing

the

people,

programs,

3

and

collective

impact

of

175

years

of

service

to

4

communities

nationwide;

NOW

THEREFORE,

5

BE

IT

RESOLVED

BY

THE

SENATE,

That

the

Senate

6

congratulates

and

expresses

appreciation

to

the

YMCA

7

for

175

years

of

service

to

the

nation;

and

8

BE

IT

FURTHER

RESOLVED,

That

the

Senate

recognizes

9

the

YMCA’s

role

in

responding

to

community

10

needs,

fostering

belonging,

creating

connection,

11

and

supporting

families

and

individuals

across

12

generations;

and

13

BE

IT

FURTHER

RESOLVED,

That

the

Senate

commends

14

the

staff

members

and

volunteers

whose

leadership

15

and

service

continues

to

advance

the

YMCA’s

mission

16

of

building

healthy

spirits,

minds,

and

bodies

for

17

all;

and

18

BE

IT

FURTHER

RESOLVED,

That

the

Senate

encourages

19

continued

support

for

community-centered

efforts

that

20

reduce

social

isolation,

promote

well-being,

and

foster

21

environments

where

all

people

can

build

relationships

22

and

thrive.

23

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