YMCA Leaders - Letter of Support

In an open letter this week, the YMCA of Greater Charlotte provided important context about the challenges it has faced since the pandemic and the decisions required to build a more sustainable future. As a group of longtime trustees, supporters and friends of the YMCA, we believe it is equally important to speak plainly: We support the Y’s Board of Directors and the difficult decision it made to sell the Morrison Family YMCA.

We know the Board’s decision was not easy, nor was it made without a deep appreciation for what the Morrison Y has meant to its members and families in the Ballantyne community for nearly 25 years. The same is true of the 13 other YMCA centers, two camps and two activity centers that make up the YMCA of Greater Charlotte’s footprint across our region. YMCAs matter – all across Charlotte. 

As longtime stewards of the YMCA, we understand that the Board’s responsibility extends across the entire organization. It must ensure that the YMCA of Greater Charlotte’s mission and impact remain strong, relevant and responsive to the community’s changing needs for generations to come. 

The environment in which the YMCA operates has changed significantly. Membership patterns have shifted, competition for health, wellness, youth sports, childcare and recreation has grown, and the cost of maintaining an extensive network of aging facilities continues to rise. The pandemic accelerated these challenges, creating significant financial pressures due to dramatically reduced membership levels and revenues, while increasing the need to reinvest in the Y’s facilities, people and philanthropic mission. 

Against that backdrop, the YMCA received an unsolicited offer for the Morrison property that the Board was obligated to consider as part of its fiduciary responsibility. After extensive deliberation, the Board concluded that accepting the offer represented responsible stewardship of the Charlotte YMCA’s assets and a necessary decision to strengthen the organization for the future. 

We understand why some may wish the YMCA could simply preserve every facility as it exists today. We wish difficult choices were unnecessary. But leadership sometimes requires making decisions that are difficult in the near term to protect the strength and impact of an organization over the long term. 

The Board and YMCA leadership have made clear, both to us and in their public communications, that the Y’s commitment to Ballantyne remains strong. The YMCA will continue serving families through Sara’s YMCA and other locations, programs and partnerships throughout the area while exploring new ways to meet the community’s evolving needs. We sincerely believe that the passing of time will more than validate our YMCA’s commitment to the Ballantyne area. 

The YMCA’s Board consists of experienced business and community leaders, many of whom have helped shape Charlotte’s civic and business life while dedicating years of volunteer service to the Y and our broader community. They brought that experience, judgment and deep commitment to the difficult Morrison YMCA decision before them, which we support. 

We genuinely believe that our Y Board and staff are working to build a stronger, more sustainable YMCA equipped to serve Charlotte today and for generations to come.