YMCA of Greater San Francisco’s Y for Youth Community Festival & VIP Reception Supports 10,000 Bay Area Youth
Festivities on May 2 include a free, family-friendly event at Crane Cove Park and elevated VIP reception at Chase Center’s Above The Rim with a special award presented to SFUSD Superintendent Maria Su—all championing youth and community wellbeing
April 2, 2026, San Francisco, Calif. – The largest youth-serving organization in the Bay Area, the YMCA of Greater San Francisco, announces the return of two community-centric events: the Y For Youth Community Festival and the Y for Youth VIP Reception, both on May 2. Both events are part of a bigger philanthropic initiative to raise both awareness and funds to support the 10,000 youth that the Y serves daily in San Francisco, Marin, and San Mateo counties through its myriad programs and services, which enable young people to belong to a community and become their best selves.
“Here at the YMCA, we believe our young people are the cornerstone of an entire community ecosystem that is healthy, vibrant, supportive, and inclusive,” said Derick Brown, Chief Advancement and Strategic Partnerships Officer at the YMCA of Greater San Francisco. “It’s why our organization invests so much in the children we serve daily, and why our programs and services are vast and tailored to all stages of childhood from birth until young adulthood. Every day, it seems, we hear stories from adults about their experience with a YMCA as a child, so we know we are creating impact that lasts a lifetime.”
A Free, Community-Building Festival for All
The Y for Youth Festival is a free, family-centric event on May 2 from 12 to 4 pm at Crane Cove Park on the waterfront in historic Dogpatch, adjacent to the Dogpatch YMCA branch. Families are invited to spend the afternoon enjoying live music, lawn games, food trucks, refreshments, crafts and more.
At the center of the festival is Tour Y World, an interactive passport journey showcasing the full range of YMCA programs and activities. Attendees can pick up a ‘passport’ at the entrance, explore each station to collect stamps, and redeem them for prizes, making it a fun and engaging experience for all ages. Don’t miss YMCA “friendlies” Chula Cafe (opening its first SF location soon at the Dogpatch YMCA) serving up its family-grown coffee from Mexico and neighboring business Dogpatch Paddle offering paddleboarding and kayaking on the bay as part of the day’s festivities.
An Evening to Celebrate and Lift Up Youth
Following the community festival, the YMCA of Greater San Francisco is hosting its Y for Youth VIP Reception from 5 to 8 PM at the premier Above The Rim at Chase Center. This intimate, upscale gathering of Bay Area leaders, philanthropists and community champions will celebrate the Y’s community impact on youth across San Francisco, Marin and the Peninsula.
The evening will begin with a rooftop social offering breathtaking views of the San Francisco skyline and Bay waterfronts, along with a hosted bar and passed appetizers.
The YMCA will also present its Charles M. Collins Youth Impact Award to current San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Maria Su for her work as the former Executive Director of San Francisco’s Department of Children, Youth and Their Families (DCYF) and her support of the YMCA of Greater San Francisco’s initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially around youth. This award was established in honor of former YMCA of Greater San Francisco CEO Charles ‘Chuck’ Collins (who served as CEO from 2004 to 2020) and his lifelong dedication to improving the lives of Bay Area youth. It recognizes individuals who embody Chuck’s same spirit of service and community.
Tickets to Y for Youth VIP Reception can be purchased here.
A Steady Presence in the Lives of Bay Area Families
The YMCA of Greater San Francisco, which serves San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin counties, is the largest youth-serving organization in the Bay Area.
The Y is far more than a ‘place. It is truly a community that benefits everyone, starting at birth and continuing throughout people’s lives—where youth build confidence, independence, lasting friendships and so much more. Through its public and private partnerships as well as donors, the Y is committed to not only building and maintaining community but also making it accessible to all, including offering financial assistance through our Membership for All program.
Below is a snapshot of what the YMCA of Greater San Francisco offers youth and their families:
- Before and after school enrichment programs at 130 locations in San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties
- Summer camp experiences, including overnight camps at the historic Camp Jones Gulch and day camps throughout the area including traditional and specialty sessions
- A summer learning program that prevents learning loss and fosters physical and social-emotional growth
- High-quality, affordable childcare and early childhood education for the youngest members of our communities
- Alternative education programs at the middle and high school levels, providing a pathway forward for at-risk youth
- A variety of youth sports programs that let kids gain new skills, make new friends, experience friendly competition, and team building
- Youth support services offering a place for children and teenagers to gather, learn, belong and be themselves comfortably
- Group swim and water safety lessons to equip kids with essential water safety skills and swimming techniques (including a free program for all children residing in Bayview Hunter’s Point)
- Workforce development programs to equip youth with skills to succeed in life
- A research-backed mentoring program with a national footprint which is shown to reduce delinquency and abuse in teens while improving their connectedness with family and school
Join Us in Supporting the Future of Youth and Community Wellbeing
The YMCA of Greater San Francisco is always open to community support and involvement. We have a robust volunteer program in which volunteers play a critical role in nurturing the potential of every child and teen, improving health and wellbeing, and inspiring action in our communities. We are also open to donations of any size, helping us further our mission of fostering community wellbeing.
About the YMCA of Greater San Francisco
With 15 locations, a residential camp and more than 130 program sites in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin counties, the YMCA of Greater San Francisco is one of the Bay Area’s largest community service organizations serving 130,000 people annually. The Y promotes individual and community wellbeing for people of all ages through wellness programs, youth development, and critical social services. The programs and services at each local Y are shaped by the needs and aspirations of the people it serves, building strong bonds of connection at the community level. Through partnerships with neighborhood associations, schools, civic leaders, and businesses, the Y continues to evolve and expand, providing safe spaces in which people can be authentic, belong to a welcoming community and become their best selves.
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