The San Benito County YMCA has raised $550,000 over the past one to two years for its new facility prior to kicking off a capital campaign and setting a goal for the project.
Scott Fuller, board chairman of the San Benito County YMCA, detailed the organization's fundraising success and future challenges during the Nov. 16 city council meeting and in a Free Lance interview on Thursday.
He thanked the council for the city's continued commitment to support the future development of a new and expanded YMCA. Later, Fuller told the Free Lance that the 'Y' was grateful the city is supplying a downtown location free of rent as part of its community support program.
The council agenda item was the solicitation of development proposals for the 6.8-acre former location of Leatherback at the corner of Hillcrest Road and McCray Street. The site also is the preferred location for a proposed YMCA facility that, eventually, would total 35,000 square feet. Depending on the final development proposal, the YMCA may have to consider an adjacent property.
Fuller was responding to the council's queries about the YMCA's ability to raise capital for the new construction. As an example, he cited the recent, successful capital campaigns in both Watsonville and Salinas. Along with San Benito and Monterey counties, and another chapter in the Gonzales area, they make up the Central Coast YMCA.
Watsonville raised $3.5 million for facility expansion - $1 million more than the $2.5 million target. The Salinas capital campaign raised $7 million - $2.9 million more than the $4.1 million target.
"But the official San Benito capital campaign cannot start until a site location is secured," Fuller emphasized.
Asked by the Free Lance why the other YMCA campaigns were so effective even in these difficult times, Fuller responded that the organization's professionally-run campaigns are built on many years of experience and that the groups are well known in the communities they serve.
For example, the YMCA also runs an annual fundraising campaign to partially offset program costs for families and individuals requiring financial assistance. These 6-week campaigns have raised $90,000 a year for each of the last three years. Of the 600 families served by the San Benito YMCA, 200 family/clients take advantage of the assistance that primarily supports the day camp, afterschool activities, youth sports and a small adult wellness program.
Marty Richman Got a question or a comment? Send us an email.
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