The City of Lakewood is in the midst of a renaissance. Schools are being rebuilt, the Lakewood Library is expanding, new condominiums are helping to replenish aging housing stock, and roads are being reconstructed. It’s a time of great and exciting change in Lakewood, as our city strives to recapture its unique identity as the City of Homes and a place where commerce, entertainment, and recreation thrive.

A significant part of Lakewood’s revitalization was the demolition of Lakewood’s outdated YMCA and the construction of an attractive new YMCA that will serve Lakewood’s citizenry for generations to come. The new Lakewood YMCA boasts a membership of over 10,000. To put that into perspective, nearly twenty percent of all Lakewoodites are members of the Lakewood YMCA. Unfortunately, that positive statistic is topped by three sobering statistics:

1. Nearly twenty-three percent of all Lakewoodites are near or below the federal poverty line

2. Nearly half of all middle school students don’t participate in recreational activities because money is a barrier

3. More than half of Lakewood’s students are concerned for their safety.

Though great strides are being made toward Lakewood’s revitalization, much work remains to be done.

The Lakewood YMCA and its many partners are committed to helping Lakewood work through these issues. The Lakewood YMCA’s vision is to be Lakewood’s premier community based, collaborative, and charitable organization for the purposes of building strong kids, strong families, and strong communities. The YMCA is committed to being a haven for our youth, a place where families can grow in spirit, mind, and body, and a place where every member of our community is welcome, regardless of ability to pay. In other words, the YMCA’s welcome mat is laid out for every member of our community. Every unemployed family, single parent, and child can be a member of the Lakewood YMCA. That’s one-hundred percent. To continue its charitable work in Lakewood, each year the Lakewood YMCA asks able members of our community to help support our youth. It’s called the Strong Kids Campaign. And every single penny of the fund goes toward YMCA programs and toward helping ensure that no one is turned away. This year, the Lakewood YMCA has set a goal of raising $60,000. If you would like to help us build strong kids, strong families, and strong communities by making a tax deductible contribution of any size, please call the Lakewood YMCA at 216-521-8400. Or better yet, come see for yourself how the Lakewood YMCA is working toward building a better Lakewood. And if you would like to be a member but weren’t sure that you could afford it, I hope that you’ll come by and sign up today!