Page 10 - Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA Annual Report 2017

Our Y has a tremendous history here in Tampa as the city’s oldest nonprofit and we have been evolving over the last 129 years as we strive to serve the ever changing needs of our families.
FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO
The year 2017 was a big one for me because it’s the year I was fortunate enough to join the Tampa YMCA family! And what a family it is. Even before my wife and I officially called Tampa Bay home, I was welcomed with open arms. Since October
2017, I have been forging new relationships, educating myself on our Y’s culture and atmosphere and working alongside our great team of volunteers and staff to make a great Y even better.
I arrived during a year when we accomplished so much! 2017 was
a year when new data showed the drowning rate among young children in Hillsborough County decreased
by half. This is encouraging news
to the Tampa Y because drowning prevention is a top strategic priority area. However, there is much work to be done. Florida still ranks number one in the nation for youth drowning cases. The Y will continue to reach more vulnerable populations in
the years to come. Together, with supporters like you, we’re committed to ensuring not one more local child drowns.
As a local leader in health and wellness, the Tampa Y launched the new Enhance®Fitness program at three of our Ys. This senior fitness and arthritis management program
is designed to increase fitness levels while building a sense of social connectedness. The feedback we’re getting is phenomenal and we look forward to expanding the program at more Ys in the near future.
In 2017, we expanded the Y’s Veggie Van – A Mobile Market Place to include two new stops in Plant City and Dover. Through the Veggie
Van, we distribute fresh fruits and veggies into targeted communities without access to healthy and affordable food. We also kicked off a new collaboration with the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital and look forward to bettering the lives of thousands of Tampa Bay veterans!
This past year, we expanded the Downtown Y to include a newly renovated multi-use fitness space, called “the STUDIO.” Further
north, we cut the ribbon on a large renovation project at the Bob Sierra North Tampa Family Y to provide 12,000 North Tampa children,
teens and adults the support and resources they need to achieve greater health and well-being. Furthermore, more Northdale/ Carrollwood kids can learn about teamwork, relationship-building and other life skills in the facility’s newly expanded Kid Zone.
In addition, I’m excited to have come aboard at the same time we broke ground on the final phase
of the Spurlino Family YMCA at
Big Bend Road. By late 2018,
we’ll welcome thousands of South Hillsborough County residents
into our new 32,500-square-foot facility in Riverview. This supportive environment will serve as a much- needed community hub where families can spend quality time together, kids can build character
and confidence and everyone can improve their quality of life.
My thanks to the Governance
Board, center advisory boards, volunteers, donors and staff for their dedication and continuous support to serve the changing needs of our community. Throughout 2017, we’ve stayed true to our Vision 2020 III established priority areas: closing the achievement gap, improving Tampa Bay’s health and well-being, teen leadership development and drowning prevention.
I feel very fortunate to have this wonderful opportunity to serve such a diverse and vibrant community. Our Y has a tremendous history here in Tampa as the city’s oldest nonprofit and we have been evolving over the last 129 years as we strive to serve the ever changing needs
of our families. I look forward to nurturing that continued evolvement as we continue to strengthen the foundations of community.
With appreciation,
Matt Mitchell
President & CEO 813.224.9622
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