About Our Organization

The McGaw YMCA is a longtime pillar of Evanston and has responded to the needs of our community for over 135 years. We are committed to strengthening community and work in partnership with our neighbors each day to make sure that everyone in our diverse and vibrant community has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive.

McGaw YMCA Evanston

Since 1885, the YMCA in Evanston has provided programs, services and activities across our community and at our overnight camp in Michigan, offering health, hope, and opportunity:

• Parents find a safe, nurturing environment for their children to stay active, be engaged, and learn positive values.
• Children and teens play and develop self-confidence while feeling accepted and supported.
• Men who reside at the Y and receive supportive housing options and resources to live and work.
• Adults connect with friends, pursue interests, and learn how to live healthier.
• Families facing crisis receive food, social-emotional support, and other critical resources as Y program participants.
• People from all backgrounds and walks of life come together to volunteer and help strengthen their community.

Areas of Impact

• For Youth Development: Empowering young people to reach their full potential.
• For Healthy Living: Improving individual and community well-being.
• For Social Responsibility: Providing support and inspiring action in our communities.

Our Mission

The McGaw YMCA cultivates the whole person, strengthens community, and provides equitable access to transformational experiences that uplift the mind, body, and spirit.

Our Vision

The McGaw Y will be a place of belonging for all people at every stage of life.

Our Commitment

At the Y, we are committed to strengthening community by helping young people find the power in themselves, improving the health and well-being of people of all ages, and inspiring action in and across our diverse and vibrant community.

Every day, and in everything we do, we remain committed to our work of becoming an anti-racist, multicultural organization that helps to advance justice and builds a culture of belonging for everyone.

When you join the Y, you’ll discover new ways to connect with your potential, purpose, and community. No matter where you are on your journey, the Y is where you can be, belong and become.

Our Values: Caring, Honesty, Respect, Responsibility.

Our core values unite us as a YMCA Movement. They are the shared beliefs and essential principles that guide our behavior, interactions with each other and decision-making. As individuals and a collective organization, we promise to engage and operate in ways that exemplify these values.