MISSOULA - The Missoula Family YMCA will begin its “Here for Good” capital campaign this week as it looks to reinvent its campus with new facilities and wider amenities.
The first public event is slated for today from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Missoula County Fairgrounds.
Heather Foster, the organization's CEO, said the campaign will help the Y meet emerging community needs, including a shortage in childcare.
It also will move to a new model to better serve families, students and seniors while expanding fitness spaces.
“The Missoula Y is, first and foremost, a community organization,” said Foster. “Missoula is growing and changing, and it’s important that the Y grows and changes with it.”
Foster said the Y has been quietly fundraising since last September. The organization has served hundreds of thousands of western Montanans since it opened in 1967.
But while the number of people who utilize the facility has grown, the Y's physical spaces have remained unchanged and have become dated.
The current facility on Russell Street opened in 1987, and its childcare center operates from a donated modular trailer, circa the 1970s.
“Our last facility update was a decade ago and it really only focused on a small portion of our building,” Foster said. “The Here for Good campaign will allow us to update every square inch of our facility, as well as build a brand-new early childcare building that will double the number of kids we can serve.”
In addition to the new childcare center, the multimillion-dollar project includes building a new youth innovation center, a new fitness studio and an expanded drop-in childcare center.
“Our Y has always put a lot of energy into being a good fiscal steward,” Foster added. “We’re a debt-free organization and we really pride ourselves on working with donors to make sure we’re using their gifts to make the greatest, most positive impact possible.”
More information can be found by following this link.
