Roxborough YMCA Designated 'No Place For Hate' By ADL

ROXBOROUGH, PHILADELPHIA — The Roxborough YMCA is one of 15 Greater Philadelphia YMCA to earn a distinction from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

The ADL is designating 15 branches of the Greater Philadelphia YMCA as "No Place For Hate."

Each branch, including the Roxborough branch, will get an official designation banner honoring their participation in branch-wide anti-bias and anti-bullying projects throughout 2018.

To earn the No Place for Hate distinction, each branch formed a No Place for Hate committee, adopted a resolution pledging to create a more inclusive community and implemented a number of projects promoting respect for differences.

Lisa Friedlander, Education Director, No Place for Hate, presented each branch with its official banner

The YMCA’s participation in No Place for Hate began in 2011 in their Abington and Christian Street branches.

Following a successful pilot, they expanded the initiative to four more branches the next year.

As the Greater Philadelphia YMCAs began to grow their Association, so did the number of branches participating in No Place for Hate, and all branches in the Association currently participate in No Place for Hate.

The Greater Philadelphia YMCAs are part of more than 220 schools and community organizations across eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware currently participating in the No Place for Hate program, following Governor Ed Rendell’s endorsement in 2006.

With branches in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Berks, Chester, Delaware, Burlington and Camden counties, the Greater Philadelphia YMCA membership is vastly diverse, and No Place for Hate has helped build bridges between members and create safe, welcoming spaces.

Across the Association, branches have engaged in a range of activities, including campaigns to welcome new immigrants, gender bias conversations, anti-bullying awareness campaigns, autism awareness conversations, Spread the Word to End the Word events, and Denim Day activities, as well as anti-bullying training and LGBTQ sensitivity training with the ADL.

The goal of these projects is to expose members and staff to new cultures, lifestyles and perspectives, to prepare staff to work with diverse populations and ultimately to create communities of respect.

The Y is a cause-driven organization that is dedicated to strengthening the community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, so creating an environment where all members feel welcome and accepted through the No Place for Hate campaign is a perfect complement to their mission.

"The Anti-Defamation League is honored to be partnered with the Greater Philadelphia YMCA branches, working together to prepare young people to live in an increasingly diverse and complex world," said Nancy Baron-Baer, Regional Director, ADL. "We are especially proud that we are the only region in the country to have this unique partnership with the Y."