Our Mission, Values & History

Our Mission

To put Chrisitian principles into practice through progams that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.

Our Values

Caring, Honesty, Respect, & Responsibility

Our History

The YMCA has a long history that dates back to 1844 and in Newton since 1874. Much like our founders, we are working to instill these Christian principles and the YMCA values. Our staff work to be positive role models, and we design our programs to teach our Mission and Values. The YMCA, YCC, and Aces Teen Club, thank you all for your time, monies, and many different talents! We hope you enjoy learning the history of the YMCA as much as we enjoy telling it!

National

The Young Men’s Christian Association started in 1844 with a small group of men in London, England. They were concerned with serving fellow youg men who, like themselves, were new to the city. George WIlliams, age 22, and 11 friends felt compelled to help young men find what they felt: God’s grace. The first members were evangelical Protestants who prayed and studied the Bible together. Years later, Boston sea captain and missionary Thomas Sullivan also worried about the temptations facing young men in city life. Inspired by the work of the first YMCA, Sullivan led the formation of the first United States YMCA in Boston in December 1851.

Local

The YMCA was originally founded in Newton in February 1874 with 7 members. The records indicate that the State Convention of the YMCA was held in Newton, September 1875. The YMCA continued to exist in churches, gyms, banks and buildings around Newton until 1927. It was in 1927,six years after Mary Frances Skiff Memorial Hospital opened, a $40,000 debt hung over the hospital, largely due to unpaid donation from the original fund drive. F.L. Maytag, founder of the Maytag Company and supporter of the hospital, agreed to a personal pledge of $250,000 to build a YMCA, but only if Newton residents would retire the hospital debt.

The Chamber of Commerce gathered to form a 30 member committee and raised $54,191 in a week to allow the Mary Frances Skiff Memorial Hospital to be debt-free and NEWTON GOT ITS YMCA! What a blessing our community has been given. We continue some 75+ years later, albeit in a new location, to make the community proud of our heritage.