About Us

The Youngstown YMCA has a long and illustrious history, serving the Youngstown community since 1883. Starting as a retreat to protect the values of young farmers moving to the city for work, the YMCA is now a cornerstone of the community and the start of many valuable community institutions.

For instance, in 1884 a reading room was opened at the Y to enrich the lives of its young men. In 1906, the reading room expanded to include an educational director and eventually grew into the Youngstown Law School - known today as Youngstown State University. Additionally, long-time local radio station, WKBN, housed its earliest broadcasting studios on the third floor of the YMCA.

Today, the Youngstown YMCA has grown to include over 17,000 members and includes three branches that provide programming that develop its mission.

Central Branch, Downtown Youngstown



The Central YMCA, in downtown Youngstown, is the cornerstone of the Association, where the building blocks were established. Established in 1872 by Dr. R.D. Gibson, the Youngstown YMCA began at the house of Dr. Gibson's parents. The YMCA quickly grew and eventually moved to the second floor of a new building on East Federal Street. In 1884 it became an independent, locally controlled Ohio corporation - just 32 years after the first YMCA in the United States was founded.

Housed at 17 N. Champion Street in the heart of downtown Youngstown since 1915, the Central YMCA has a strong membership of local residents who believe in the Y and its mission. And because the YMCA is a long-standing community institution, most Youngstown residents have great memories of visiting the Y as children and young adults and continue to share the "Y experience" with their children and grandchildren.

Camp Fitch on Lake Erie



Camp Fitch began as a boys' summer bible camp at Muddy Lake near Ravenna, Ohio in the early 1900s. The first permanent camp was opened in 1914 in West Point, Ohio. Within 10 years, the resident camp became so popular it outgrew its West Point location. Thanks to a generous donation from the Fitch family, in 1924 Camp Fitch moved to the 450-acre grounds in North Springfield, Pennsylvania - its current location.

Today, Camp Fitch is open 360 days a year and serves thousands of boys and girls, as well as families. Spanning generations, many families have three and four generations of Camp Fitch campers who now share their experiences and memories with each other.

D.D. & Velma Davis Family YMCA



The newest facility of the Youngstown YMCA opened in September of 2003, and was created out of a need for a place where families who live in the surrounding suburban areas can enjoy the benefits of the Y's outstanding programming and facilities. The D.D. and Velma Davis Family YMCA was developed to compliment the Central Branch and provides a variety of fun and educational activities including an outdoor aquatic center and recreational area.

As a whole, the Youngstown YMCA is more than mere exercise facilities, but an organization where critical lessons in self-esteem, respect, sportsmanship, teamwork and community service are learned. It is a positive atmosphere for people of all ages. It is where children learn to swim, where players of all ages meet on the basketball court and where people in the community come to unwind. For over 125 years, the Youngstown YMCA has been putting Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

Front Row (left to right):
William Bigelow, Dr. Constantine Economus, Howard B. Friend, Melinda Davies, John H. Yerian, Jr., Kenneth L. Rudge, Janice JanJanin, Andrea Wood, William Brennan

Middle Row (left to right):
Richard Hahn, William Richardson, Donald Harrison, William Russell, Philip Kocon, Garry Mrozek, Julius Livas, Judge George Limbert, J.D. Mirto, Warren Harrell

Back Row (left to right):
Gregg Strollo, Timothy Bresnahan, Sam Boak, James E. Greene, Attorney Timothy Jacob, Attorney Thomas Gacse, James B. Greene, Walter Pishkur, Attorney Thomas J. Lodge, C. Robert Buchanan

Not in Photo:
David Bennett, Monsignor Michael Cariglio, Thomas A. Cleary, Thomas Fleming

Trustees Emeritus:
William L. Spencer, David Tod, Kenneth J. Wilson

2010     2009     2008     2007