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Neighbor News

F.M. Kirby Foundation Awards Two Major Grants to the Madison Area YMCA

$325,000 awarded for capital expansion of the Y's Family Center; $85,000 awarded for financial assistance at the Y's Kirby Children's Center

The Madison Area YMCA is delighted to announce that it has received two major gifts from the F.M. Kirby Foundation: $325,000 for capital expansion of the Y Family Center and $85,000 for financial assistance to families at the F. M. Kirby Children’s Center of the Madison Area YMCA.

The $325,000 gift is the second major grant awarded to the Madison Area YMCA for the Family Center expansion. The Foundation awarded $350,000 in December 2014 to also be used for future capital expansion at the Y Family Center. The $85,000 gift is an annual gift that lends continued support to the F.M. Kirby Children’s Center.

“We are delighted and deeply grateful to be the recipient of the F.M. Kirby Foundation’s second very significant capital grant, as well as the critical annual support for our Children’s Center, which serves dozens of children from low-income working families,” said Madison Area YMCA President & CEO Diane Mann. “The Foundation’s generosity benefits our entire community by enabling the Y to more effectively partner with others who also work to improve the wellness and wellbeing of children, teens, seniors and families throughout our area,” she said.

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Kirby Foundation President S. Dillard Kirby explained that the second capital grant is intended to strengthen the Y’s philanthropy program and to more fully engage the community in supporting the capital expansion project.

“We are pleased to make this second grant based on our long partnership with the Madison Area Y, the strength of the current leadership and recognition of the Y’s ongoing facility improvements and community service expansions in recent years,” Mr. Kirby said. “As I mentioned last year and would now like to emphasize, we sincerely hope that our commitment will encourage others to join us in supporting this vital plan to help meet community needs.”

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The capital gift is designated to support a planned multi-million-dollar expansion to include expanded wellness, fitness and aquatic programming areas. The Y’s philanthropy program is based on establishing partnerships and collaborations with corporations, government and other not-for-profits to optimize resource utilization. It also is based on continuing to engage new donors and supporters to expand programming and access for all.

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