All the ingredients of a successful grand opening were there.
The ribbon cutting. The gleaming facility. Fresh landscaping. And (really delicious) YMCA cookies provided by a local bakery.
But what truly matters is what remains in place long after the ribbon is cut. Hope. Health. Community. A new way of making things happen.
Those are the foundational elements to a full-scale reimagination of the Northeast YMCA in Birmingham’s Roebuck neighborhood. We’re not just talking about a traditional “Y.” We’re talking about practically everything – from affordable housing to education services to health care – all on one campus.
“The vision for the Northeast Community YMCA is simple and bold: to build a model neighborhood hub that brings the most-needed services together in one place,” said Chip Watts, board chairman of YMCA of Greater Birmingham.
Those services?
When Regions Foundation Executive Director Marta Self saw that bold vision, she sensed a clear opportunity for the Foundation to provide financial support to help make it all possible.
“We know that when we invest in places, we’re investing in the people,” she said. “And this Y is the place that the people across this community deserve.”
We know that when we invest in places, we’re investing in the people. Marta Self, Executive Director of Regions Foundation
The Regions Foundation, a nonprofit funded primarily by Regions Bank, has a community engagement strategy focusing on three key pillars:
- Economic and Community Development
- Education and Workforce Readiness
- Creating Greater Financial Wellness
What’s happening at the Y speaks to all three.
“This is going to be the place where the community comes together from the most senior to the youngest children,” Self added. “This shows what can happen when community partners focus their resources in ways that make a lasting impact.”
There will be a safe space to go, and you will have a space and a beacon of hope. Terri Harvill, chief social impact officer for the YMCA
To be clear, the YMCA of Greater Birmingham has had a presence in Roebuck for generations. But now, that presence is reaching a level of service and magnitude like never before.
For Terri Harvill, chief social impact officer for the YMCA, seeing the transformation from the old facility to the new – and how ‘the new’ is so incredibly improved over ‘what was’ – is deeply personal. It means the legacy of the Roebuck Y will continue. Stronger.
“Because what ‘was’ is just that. It gives us the foundation by which we shall continue to say, ‘We will serve our children. We will serve our seniors. We will serve families,’” Harvill shared. “There will be a safe space to go, and you will have a space and a beacon of hope.”
