THE FINAL WORD Collaboration key to success Downtown ERIC MANN PHONE (904) 265-1775 owntown Jacksonville and its surrounding neighborhoods are clearly D on the verge of a great resurgence. New companies and restaurants are moving in, developers are breathing new life into historic properties and our elected officials and community leaders are focused on driving investment in the urban core. While there has been no magic pill to single-handedly reinvigorate Downtown Jacksonville, community collaboration among public, private and civic organizations has been key to transforming Downtown into a hub of business, culture and entertainment. No one organization can do everything, but when organizations come together and do what they do best, we can move our city forward. For more than 110 years, the First Coast YMCA has played a vital role in helping people live their healthiest lives. Our mission started in Downtown Jacksonville in 1908 with just 12 members on the corner of Laura and Duval streets. Now we have 13 membership facilities, one resident camp, one charter elementary school, 40 school-based child care sites, two facilities for people with development disabilities and two youth development campuses on the First Coast. But while the Y’s footprint has expanded geographically, our commitment to Downtown Jacksonville and its surrounding neighborhoods remains steadfast. We firmly believe a strong and successful urban core must have direct access to community programs and resources that promote a healthy lifestyle. This is why our flagship branch, the Winston Family YMCA — formerly the Yates YMCA — is located not even a mile from Downtown and was designed as a total wellness destination. This advanced the Y’s mission and brought critical youth development and healthy living programs into downtown and its neighboring communities of Riverside, Springfield and Brooklyn. The Winston Family Y is a prime example of how the First Coast Y collaborated with like-minded health care organizations to advance our mission. Through key partnerships with Brooks Rehabilitation, Baptist Health and Florida Blue, the Winston Y’s Luther and Blanche Coggin Family Healthy Living Center was the first onestop place in the area to meet a spectrum of health and wellness needs, such as chronic illness and diabetes in the community. Its success has opened the door to new opportunities across the region, including partnerships with Baptist Health with new YMCA’s in North Jacksonville and Nocatee; Flagler Health+ with a new Y near World Golf Village; and with UF Health at the new Y at Wildlight in Nassau County. Just as Downtown and its surrounding neighborhoods are expanding, so must the Winston Y in order to meet the needs of our growing community and continue providing quality, impactful programs and services for all. Since opening its doors in 2016, the Winston Y’s membership base has exceeded growth expectations by five years. Last year, we announced a new capital campaign to expand Winston’s facility by adding an 8,000 square-foot third floor rooftop wellness area — the first of its kind on the First Coast — in addition to expanding our current KidZone and adding a new, multi-generational space for teens and active older adults. As a nonprofit, the Y relies on gifts of time, talent and treasure to deliver on our promise to strengthen the community. Our long-term success depends on the enthusiastic support of our volunteer board leaders, the passionate servant leadership of our staff and the generosity of those who give to our cause. With 2020 on the horizon, the First Coast Y is excited about moving forward with our campaign to expand the Winston Y. We can’t do it alone. Donations to this project will ensure we can better serve our neighbors in Downtown Jacksonville and across Northeast Florida for generations to come. To learn more about how you can become involved, call (904) 265-1775 or visit this website, FCYMCA.org/ give. ERIC MANN is president and CEO, of YMCA of Florida’s First Coast. He lives on the Southside. 98 J MAGAZINE | WINTER <strong>2019</strong>
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