Helena Family YMCA Surpasses Fundraising Goal, Reports Financial Turnaround

Montana's oldest YMCA raised $152,000 this year, surpassing its annual fundraising campaign goal after years of pandemic-driven revenue losses and leadership turnover that left the Helena institution financially strained.

The Helena Family YMCA, first chartered in 1889, had been struggling to recover since COVID-19 disrupted operations and the organization did not receive COVID relief grants last year. Combined with turnover in its leadership ranks, the financial pressure mounted. The fundraising surge has changed that picture.

"It is humbling to see our community cares about us as much as I care about the Y, and our families, and our seniors that we serve," said Ashley Callison, the YMCA's chief operating officer.

The funds support a range of programming: after-school services for dozens of Helena families and roughly $100,000 in scholarships distributed annually. From the pool to the gymnasium floor, the Y serves members across generations, a consistency that stretches back more than 135 years.

That longevity is personal for longtime member Connie Lange, whose parents used the facility well into old age. "My dad, a long-term resident and stepmother, attended the Y regularly until they were in their early nineties, so they would climb the stairs up front," Lange said. She added that the Y has reshaped her own social life: "There are so many things to do here, and I have now developed friendships here that go outside the Y."

For parents enrolled in the after-school program, the value is equally direct. Jenna Kavajecz, whose child participates, said the program delivers more than structured activity. "They provide confidence to kiddos, and this all keeps their brains and their bodies moving," she said.

Callison described the current moment in straightforward terms: "It is an amazing place to be right now."

The annual fundraising campaign has closed, but the YMCA will continue accepting donations throughout the year.