A brief history of the YMCA Community Action Program of the YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South

Establishment

In keeping with the original YMCA purpose of providing wholesome activities for young men, the YMCA of Middle Tennessee established the YMCA Community Action Program (Y-CAP) in 1985 with a $25,000 private grant. Initially the program provided services and activities to rehabilitate youth and young adults through value development and positive goal setting. As the program evolved, the focus shifted to early intervention with an emphasis on a younger target population. The purpose for the shift in focus was to enhance the effectiveness of the program by reaching young people at an earlier age and instilling in them wholesome values. The program proved to be successful in reducing the incidence of juvenile crime while improving academic achievement and school attendance for those referred to Y-CAP by juvenile court.

Expansion

With a foundation for the Y-CAP model having been established, YMCA executives throughout the state of Tennessee proposed expansion of the program statewide. In 1998, the Tennessee State Legislature approved the awarding of a 5-year grant to the YMCA that would expand the program to three additional regions of the state. The YMCAs of Tennessee developed a plan that initially targeted Chattanooga, Knoxville and Memphis. Once established in these cities, Y-CAP hoped to expand to other communities where YMCAs were operating.

The Memphis Y-CAP program was established by the YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South in 1998 and began the process of building and developing relationships within the community in an effort to impact the lives of at-risk youth and their families. Having learned of the success of the Memphis Y-CAP program, a coalition of community leaders in West Memphis, Ark., provided initial funding to establish the program in their community in March of 2000. Because of the need for services for at-risk youth in DeSoto County, YMCA/Y-CAP staff submitted a grant to the Mississippi Department of Human Services to provide initial funding to implement and operate a Y-CAP program in DeSoto County. The Y-CAP program was implemented there on October 1, 2000. In addition, Y-CAP also received a grant from the Maddox Foundation to further enhance the program services that were provided in the DeSoto community.

In the spring of 2002, the YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South submitted an application to the YMCA of the USA for Y-CAP to become a recognized "stand alone" community outreach branch. The YMCA of the USA granted the Y-CAP Branch its charter on June 15, 2002. The Y-CAP Branch now operates as an independent sole-cost center of the YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South.

Today

Today, the Y-CAP Branch has program operations—as well as administrative offices—in Memphis, Tenn., and DeSoto County, Miss., with the support of various federal, state and private agencies/organizations. The staff and volunteers of the Y-CAP branch are actively seeking funding and program support in an effort to continue the operation of the "life-changing" programs we provide to the Mid-South community.

If you'd like to give your support to the Y-CAP to help at-risk youth become productive members of the community, donate.