Ymca of Greater San Francisco
Annual Report
Explore how the YMCA of Greater San Francisco is building healthy, sustainable and equitable communities—read our Annual Report to see the impact of our programs, the stories of those we serve, and our vision where everyone can Be, Belong and Become.
the Y is here for you
At the YMCA of Greater San Francisco, we are more than a place. We are a movement deeply rooted in fostering positive social change guided by our communities. Every step we take is informed by the people we serve who call San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo counties their home, and we work side by side with individuals and families to help them become the very best version of themselves.
Whether you’re seeking to improve your health & well-being, support your family, or find community and a sense of belonging, the Y is here for everyone. Together, we build stronger, more resilient communities where all can thrive.
We are proud to present Bridge Builders: Connecting Communities – Our 2024-2025 Annual Report, celebrating what we’ve achieved together this year.
A major milestone: we opened the Dogpatch YMCA at Crane Cove, our first new San Francisco facility in 30 years — a vibrant new “place to belong” for families, youth, and neighbors along the Southeast waterfront. Across Marin, San Mateo, and San Francisco counties, we expanded mental-health supports, wellness programs, afterschool enrichment, and food-access initiatives to reach thousands of people. From water-safety and swim lessons to youth support, volunteer efforts, and healthy-living programs, your support helped transform lives. These highlights reflect just a fraction of the many bridges we built together this year — to connection, opportunity, and community.
Thank you for continuing to partner with us as we collectively engage in this important work.
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IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS
Always Constant, Never Static
The YMCA of Greater San Francisco traces its roots to 1853, the height of the Gold Rush. Through depressions and world wars, struggles for social justice, and times of tumultuous change, the Y has stood as an anchor of stability and a welcoming place for people to find community.
Stability, however, does not mean standing still. The Y has continually evolved with the times as the Bay Area has grown and changed. Today, we are one of the region’s largest non-profit community service organizations, serving 130,000 people across San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin counties. With over 2,000 employees and volunteers, we operate 15 neighborhood locations, more than 130 program sites, and the historic Camp Jones Gulch in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Bringing Community and Connection to San Francisco’s Southeast Waterfront
The Y’s landmark achievement in 2025 was the opening of the Dogpatch YMCA at Crane Cove Park – our 15th greater San Francisco location and our first new facility in the city in 30 years.
The Dogpatch YMCA is a state-of-the-art wellness facility and community center, which also hosts the Bayview Walking Group and the afterschool program for the nearby Red Bridge School. And it is only the beginning of a longer-term plan for Dogpatch. Plans call for a 25,000 square-foot facility in the
Power Station project, with a gym, wellness center, community meeting rooms, and a showcase Aquatic Center – the latter made possible by a $3 million grant from the Loker Foundation. This generous contribution will help expand access to water safety and swim instruction in an area historically lacking
in aquatic facilities. We are working actively with the community to shape programs at this future Y based on the neighborhood’s needs.
Building the Next Century at Camp Jones Gulch
Generations of Bay Area families have made memories at YMCA Camp Jones Gulch since its opening in 1934. Now, with its centennial fast approaching, the Y’s fabled camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains is at a pivotal juncture, embarking on an urgent master plan to ensure it is sustainable for the next hundred years.
As detailed in the camp’s Master Plan, facilities and infrastructure are in need of upgrading. To that end,
the Y is planning investments in safety, accessibility, and sustainability, while strengthening the camp’s rustic atmosphere and its deep integration with the natural surroundings. “Every upgrade we make is about safety, inclusion, and the joy that happens when a camper disconnects from screens and connects to nature, to others, and themselves,” says Carrie.
Alaska Airlines Helps Prepare Young People for Takeoff into Meaningful Careers
Empowering, inspiring, and investing in youth has always been a cornerstone of the YMCA’s mission. All young people deserve the opportunity to learn and develop themselves for meaningful work and sustainable livelihoods. Moreover, the Bay Area’s economy depends on a steady influx of motivated and well-prepared workers.
In 2025, the YMCA of Greater San Francisco embarked on an initiative with one of our long-time partners aimed at bridging the workforce gap. Alaska Airlines is investing $120,000 over two years to equip over 500 Bay Area teenagers with the tools, experience, and mentorship opportunities they need to pursue careers in high-demand fields, such as technology, healthcare, environmental justice, and, of course, aviation.
Rebuilding a Life at the Y
Three years ago, Doris Sun found herself at a crossroads.
With two children – one just nine months old – and a third
one on the way, she was navigating a painful divorce and the uncertainty that came with it. “I felt very alone
and overwhelmed with motherhood, and life in general,” she recalls. “My therapist suggested that I may be
going through depression and wanted to refer me to a psychiatrist because she couldn’t help me anymore. That’s when I knew I had to take action, not only for my own
wellbeing but also for my children.”
Connecting with her local Y has helped Doris find the inner strength to reset her life and be the best mom she can be to her children. “I truly mean it when I say that I don’t know how I could do it without the YMCA,” she says. “It is the reason I’m doing well mentally, physically, and emotionally, and able to take on the challenges of motherhood and life in general.”
Swimming and Water Safety Enhances Waterfront Access for Bayview Families
Drowning is one of the leading causes of childhood deaths in the US, and data from across the country shows that it disproportionately falls on children from low-income households. These deaths are preventable, but only when historical barriers to learning the life skill of swimming are eliminated.
It was critical that children in the adjacent Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood learn how to swim and stay safe in or on the water. A free learn-to-swim program was proposed in the San Francisco Recreation & Park Department’s Equitable Development Plan (EDP), a blueprint for ensuring that the park met the needs of the neighboring community first and foremost. The Martin Luther King Jr. swimming pool in the Bayview provided a convenient venue, but what was needed was a partner to design and administer the program. Enter the YMCA, with its long history of aquatic programming for all ages and walks of life. With the Y’s involvement, the Bayview Safety Swim and Splash program became a reality.
