Press Release 7 min read

YMCA of Greater San Francisco Directs $120 Million Toward Healthier, More Connected Bay Area Communities

By Donna Glass
Runners at the start line of the CCHP Lunar New Year Run, reflecting the community history of San Francisco as a woman in the center smiles and makes a peace sign.

2025-2026 Annual Report highlights YMCA’s impact across youth development, mental health, wellness, family support, food security and social belonging in San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties

SAN FRANCISCO, October 21, 2026 — The YMCA of Greater San Francisco today released its 2025-2026 Annual Report, Building Healthier Communities Together, detailing more than $120 million in resources directed toward programs, services and partnerships that help Bay Area residents of all ages live healthier, more connected lives. From youth development and health and wellness to food access, family support and mental well-being, the report illustrates how the YMCA advances community well-being by meeting people’s needs and creating opportunities for connection and belonging.

Serving more than 130,000 people annually across San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties, the YMCA is a trusted community anchor that connects people with relationships, programs and services that support well-being at every stage of life. With 131 program sites including 15 core facilities and an overnight camp, the YMCA provides an overarching network of support for individuals and families throughout the region.

The report also features personal stories from Y community members who credit the Y with providing support and services central to their well-being.

“Community well-being begins with connection, belonging and access to opportunity,” said Jamie Bruning-Miles, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater San Francisco. “Whether we’re helping families navigate challenges, supporting older adults, connecting young people with mentors, or making health and wellness more accessible, our work is rooted in a simple belief: we are not well unless we are all well.”

Community Impact by the Numbers

Throughout the fiscal year 2025-2026, the YMCA generated measurable community impact across the region:

Among the initiatives highlighted in the report is the YMCA’s partnership with Open Source Wellness to pilot Community as Medicine cohorts. Community as Medicine is a 12-week, evidence-based approach to health based on connection, proven to reduce emergency room visits, depression and social isolation.

Building Health and Belonging Through Community

The annual report underscored youth mental health and belonging as critical priorities, noting that 86% of surveyed youth reported having at least one adult at the YMCA who truly cares about them.

The organization expanded neighborhood-based health initiatives, family resource services and programs designed to reduce social isolation among older adults.

Showing Up for Families in Times of Need and Year-Round

When the 2026 United Educators of San Francisco strike closed SFUSD schools in February 2026, city leaders, including the Department of Children, Youth and Their Families (DCYF), turned to the Y. The YMCA responded by opening full-day emergency care centers, providing 671 children with a safe place to learn, play and stay connected during the strike. For working parents, it meant peace of mind as they continued their jobs.

Through 13 dedicated food programs, the Y helps households put fresh groceries on the table as living costs rise. During the year, the Y and its partners, including SF-Marin Food Bank, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley and local agencies distributed 5.9 million pounds of fresh groceries. The Y also held 156 community pantry visits and distributions, reaching 525 individuals facing acute food insecurity. 

Four Family Resource Centers connected families with case management, food, financial assistance, caregiver groups and wellness programs.

Investing in the Bay Area’s Future

The annual report also details progress on ReImagine Peninsula, the YMCA’s first intentionally designed Community Well-Being Center at the Peninsula Family YMCA. Informed by input from more than 400 local San Mateo County residents, the project reflects growing demand for spaces that support physical health, mental well-being, social connection and intergenerational engagement. The project has secured a $5.2 million lead gift toward its $8.1 million campaign goal, with construction anticipated to begin in spring 2027.

The full 2025-2026 Annual Report, Together: Building Healthier Communities, is available at ymcasf.org/annual-report.

About the YMCA of Greater San Francisco

The YMCA of Greater San Francisco strengthens community well-being by creating spaces and opportunities where people of all ages can be authentic, belong in community, and become their best selves. For nearly 175 years, the Y has evolved alongside the people it serves: listening, partnering, and co-creating to help individuals and families live longer, healthier, and more purposeful lives. With more than 130 locations in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin counties, including 15 core branches and an overnight camp, the YMCA of Greater San Francisco is one of the Bay Area’s largest community-based organizations. Each year, it serves 130,000 people through youth development, early childhood education, healthy aging, community connection, and essential support services.